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GOODY, GOODY, GOODY FOR
THE DEVIL |
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In Job 1:7 we read of God asking Satan, “Whence comest thou?” Satan answered, “From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.” Since the beginning of time, the devil has walked to and fro in and on the earth, deceiving and destroying.
J. Oswald Sanders has given us this description of Satan’s activity and strategy throughout the course of history:
His overall strategy is to supersede and overthrow the kingdom of God. It is a strategy of destruction. If he was too clever for man in his perfection in Eden, he has a much greater advantage over man in his fallen state.
It has been said that he plans to destroy human government through anarchy. Any student of history can trace this stratagem of the devil, the pervading activity of a malign power, poisoning the stream of human history. He is the mastermind behind the present world system with its lust for power and its political and economic intrigue.
He purposes to destroy human society through debauchery. Any student of sociology can trace a similar pattern in the cycles of human history. In our own day we have seen the world flooded with moral filth to a degree inconceivable fifty years ago.
He aims to destroy true religion through apostasy. Any student of theology and church history can discern recurring heresies and apostasies through the centuries. And in our own day there has been a widespread recrudescence of many of the old heresies in the heretical cults which have been spawned and are now encircling the globe.1
However, there will come a day when the devil will be both stopped and silenced. In our last study we saw the devil being put on the chain gang. During the millennial reign of Jesus Christ on this earth, the devil will be bound and confined for 1,000 years. We saw in verse 1-3:
1 And I
saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless
pit and a great chain in his hand. 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled…
The story is told of Banfield of Nigeria and his translation of Revelation chapter twenty. As he sat with his native teacher, they reached the verse that speaks of Satan being bound for a thousand years. The native suddenly jumped up and made a rush for the door. When Banfield walked out he was running up and down in the yard in a state of ecstatic joy. He shouted, “Good news too much, master; no devil for a thousand years.”
Ah, it is good news that for 1,000 years the devil will be absent from the earth. But that is not all the good news. There is even more exciting news. There is coming the day when he will be cast into the lake of fire to spend all of eternity. Now, that is something to shout about. When I read about the devil’s future, I want to say, “Goody, goody, goody, for the devil.”
Let’s notice from Revelation 20 the future of the devil. First, we see:
1. THE FINAL TIME THAT IS ALLOWED THE DEVIL
The devils prison sentence is not for life. As we see, it is only for 1,000 years. We read in verse 7, “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison.” Satan is released and allowed a final time of freedom. This release is also mentioned in the last part of verse 3: “and after that he must be loosed a little season.”
Let me point out three things about this final time that is allowed the devil. First, there is:
A) The Permission of This Release
Lehman Strauss in his commentary of Revelation speaks of this release of the devil as “a most amazing prophecy that will be fulfilled at the end of the millennium.” Amazing in that we see Satan released, and even more amazing when you stop and think that it is God who allows this release. It was God who had him locked up and only God can have him set free. Yet, that is exactly what we see happening.
Secondly, notice:
B) The Period of This Release
In verse 3 we read that the devils release is but for “a little season.” How long he is free is not specifically stated, but it will not be for very long. The devil will only be free for a very brief period of time. Whether it is months, weeks or days, we can’t say. We only know that it is for a “little season.”
Thirdly, notice:
C) The Purpose of This Release
In verse 3 we read that the devil “must be loosed.” The word “must” speaks of that which is necessary or needful. Why must he be released? If you want my honest opinion, I don’t any idea. I don’t understand why he is released at all. If you want the answer you will just have to ask God when you see Him. Whatever the reason, there is a purpose in Satan being released and the final time he is allowed.
Secondly, notice not only the final time that is allowed, but also:
2. THE FINAL TASK THAT IS ATTEMPTED BY THE DEVIL
We often refer to prison time or incarceration as rehabilitation. Well, there is no rehabilitation of the devil. As soon as he is released he is back to his old tricks. We read in verse 8 that the devil “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.”
He no sooner gets out of the prison and he hits the ground running, back to his old evil ways. He attempts one final task. In this final task of the devil we see:
A) The Deception of the Nations
Satan has always been an instigator of war and we find him the instigator of one final war on earth. We read that he works “to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth.” The four corners of the earth simply speak of nations from the north, south, east and west.
Even though Christ has reigned upon the earth for 1,000 years and His reign has been one of righteousness and peace, apparently Satan will find fertile soil in the heart of many.
Only those that are redeemed will enter the millennium, but during the millennium, children will be born. As in all ages, salvation is by accepting Christ. A person is not automatically saved because they were born in the millennium. It is like being born in a Christian family. A person is not saved because they are born in a Christian home and have a mom or dad that is saved. Salvation is a personal matter and each individual must take Christ as their Saviour, even during the millennium.
It would seem that many of those that are born during the millennium will not accept Christ as their Saviour. They have lived under His rule and reign, lived under His control and commands, but do not personally accept Him as their Saviour.
During the millennium God’s Word will be law and God’s people will rule in positions of authority over the earth. In our present world, it is taboo for a politician to promote and to lean on their faith while in office, but during the millennium, ONLY Christians will hold office. But for some, it would appear they obey not by choice but of necessity. It would appear that it is from these that Satan finds hearts that he is able to deceive.
Some have suggested that the reason Satan “must” be loosed is to give all men the choice to trust the King in Jerusalem or to rebel against Him with the devil. Salvation had always been a free choice and during the millennium it will be no different.
John gives a title to these that are deceived by Satan. He calls them “Gog and Magog.” “Gog” is used in Scripture as a general title for an enemy of God’s people. This title is most likely given to the human leader of Satan’s last forces.
There are some who believe that “Magog” are the descendants of Noah’s grandson of that name. They later became known as the Scythians and inhabited the regions north of the Black and Caspian seas. The name is no doubt given to those of all the nations that are deceived by the devil and rally to his final cause.
John describes their numbers as being a “number of whom is as the sand of the sea.” During the 1,000 years and due to the longevity of life, the earth will have greatly repopulated. Tragically, as in all history, many refuse to accept Christ and are deceived by the devil.
You not only see the deception of the nations, but also:
B) The Destruction of the Nations
We read in verse 9, “And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.”
The devil deceives the nations of the world and leads them in a revolt against the people of God. I can hear them saying, “WE are tired of these Christian from the far right wing controlling things. I am tired of them pushing their morality down our throats.” They join forces with the devil to attack the saints of God.
The capital of the world and the place from whence Jesus will reign is “the beloved city” which is Jerusalem. They surround the city preparing for their attack. But before they are able to attack, we read, “fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” Satan’s last attempt ends in failure like all his other attempts to destroy God, Christ or His people. They are completely consumed by fire out of heaven, a fire that is only a foretaste of that which is to come. They will swiftly, instantly and totally devoured.
If you are a Christian, let me remind you that you are on the winning side. The world may look at Christians with scorn and disgust now, but when the smoke clears we will be standing on the winning side.
Finally notice:
3. THE FINAL TORMENT THAT IS AWAITING THE DEVIL
I don’t guess there is a book more hated by the devil than Revelation. No doubt the reason is because it tells what his future is going to be. We read in verse 10, “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
I read a story about a little boy who was reading a murder mystery. There was a villain in the story who was doing all kinds of terrible things to people. Of course, there was a hero and heroine, but at first it looked like they were going to be murdered by the villain. The little boy was getting more frightened by the minute. But then he turned over to the end of the book and read how it ended. Then he went back to where he had been and every time the villain came along he would smile and say, “If you only knew what I know, you wouldn’t be so proud right now.”
When I go to the end of THE Book, I see what is awaiting the devil. We see:
A) The Personal Destination of the Devil
We read that the devil will be “cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.” His story is over. God will take the devil by the seat of the pants and hurls him into the lake of fire.
I read one time that God decided to take the devil to court and settle their differences once and for all. When Satan heard this, he laughed and said, "And where do you think you're going to find a lawyer?"
God is not going to need a lawyer or anyone else. The word “cast” simply means to “throw.” What a glorious moment that will be. After centuries of the devil doing his thing, it all comes to an end as he is thrown into the lake of fire.
There is the personal destination of the devil, which will be:
B) The Eternal Dwelling of the Devil
There won’t be any release after 1,000 years this time. He will join his accomplices, the “the beast and the false prophet” and “shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
Jokes are often made of Satan being in charge of hell. He want be in charge of anything. He, like anyone else in hell, will experience the terrifying torments of the lake of fire for all of eternity.
William Elbert Munsey in his book “Eternal Retribution” gives us the vivid description of eternity:
O Eternity! Let thy ages tramp, they cycles roll, but thou canst not crumble or scare the walls of Hell, or rust and break its locks or silver the hair of God, who has sworn by His eternal self that the sinner shall die. The pendulum of they horologe over the gates of woe vibrates through all aeons, and says, “Forever, and ever” – “forever and ever” – “forever and ever” – its sounding bell striking off the centuries, the ages – the cycles. The appalling monotony of its pendulum – going – going – going – repeating still, “forever, and ever” – “forever and ever” – “forever and ever” – O Eternity! God has wound up thy clock and it will never run down – and its tickings and beatings are heard all the lost – “forever and ever” – “forever and ever” – “forever and ever.”
I might add, the tickings and beating of the clock of eternity are not only heard by all the lost – but by the devil himself. The lake of fire and all its torments are his eternal home.
During the millennium, the earth will be free of the devil for 1,000 years. But then there will come the day when the saints of God will be free of the devil for all of eternity. Goody, goody, goody devil. You will get what you deserve.
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