RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-07-16	Why Satan 'Must' be Released (Rv.20:3)
		Rev 20:1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. Rev 20:2 He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; Rev 20:3 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. The Bible teaches after Jesus returns He will setup a kingdom on the earth that will last for 1,000 years. During that 1,000 year period Satan will be “bound” and not able to deceive the people living in that kingdom. After the 1,000 year kingdom the Bible says Satan “must” be released from the bottomless pit, giving him the ability to once again deceive the people. The kingdom will be a time of peace with Jesus ruling the whole earth from Jerusalem as the son of David. The Abrahamic, Davidic, and New Covenants will be in effect. God will still curse those that curse Israel and the Messiah (Abrahamic Covenant, Ge.12:3; Nu.24:9). “There shall be no end of peace” (Davidic Covenant, Is.9:7). Jerusalem “shall not be plucked up or overthrown any more forever (New Covenant, Je.31:38-40). So fulfillment of promises made by God will be part of the purpose for the kingdom. Christians today will rule with Christ in our resurrected supernatural bodies (Rv.20:4-6). The kingdom will begin with every person, in their natural bodies, as believers in Christ (Mt.25:31-46; Ek.20:33-38). Though believers, those in natural bodies will have children who are born with a sinful nature. Though they see Christ ruling from Jerusalem they still need to believe on Him for salvation (forgiveness of sin). There is a mandatory annual homage that Gentile nations must pay to king Jesus in Jerusalem (Zc.14:16-19; Ps.2:11-12). Though outwardly they pay homage to Jesus, rebellion for some will be in their heart (Zc.14:19). Any outward rebellion will be met with immediate consequences (Zc.14:17; Ps.2:12; 68:5-6; 101:1-8). So there will be feigned (pretended, insincere) obedience, but in the heart of unbelievers rebellion will be present (Ps.18:42-45; 2Sm.22:45). Some nations will choose to not come to Jerusalem, but those nations will experience, for example, “no rain” (Zc.14:17). So you see the kingdom will be wonderful for believers, but rejection of Christ in the hearts of many will grow. So the 1,000 year kingdom ends, and Satan is set free and begins to deceive the unbelievers who already rejected Christ (Rv.20:7). Satan will plot with the unbelievers to overtake Jesus. He will assemble an army around Jerusalem for battle, but there is no actual battle. God will devour them (Rv.20:8-9). There is no actual battle because that would disturb Messiah's Davidic peace promises. So why was Satan allowed temporary freedom from the bottomless pit? Jesus must reign till He puts all enemies under His feet (1Co.15:25). Jesus must destroy rebellion and Satan so death will be abolished forever. Then the last enemy, death, will be destroyed (1Co.15:26; Rv.20:14). This is the final act of Christ's millennial reign. Then the kingdom ends and Christ will subject His kingdom to the Father (1Co.15:28). However, the Son of God will continue to rule with His Father in Trinitarian glory for all eternity (Rv.22:3-5). 1. Satan is released to bring about the final rebellion, so Christ will finally end “death”. 2. Satan is released so God can demonstrate to Israel and the world, the veracity of His covenant promises. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

23304 E Wellesley Ave. Otis Orchards, WA 99027 Church Office: 509.926.9552 Church Cell: 509.342.9145 Pastor Cell: 509.828.8843 tomelseroad@gmail.com