RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2021-03-15	Why Must Satan Be Released After the Millennial Kingdom? (Re.20:1-3)
		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. Satan is bound before the 1,000-year reign of Christ (Re.20:1-2). For 1,000 years on earth, it will be characterized by righteousness, peace, joy, and happiness. After the 1,000-year (millennial) reign of Christ God will release Satan, that deceiver (Re.20:3). It will appear Satan will have one more chance to deceive the nations to follow him to his final destruction. But why would God do this when He has the opportunity to dispose of Satan forever so no one will have to deal with him again? Revelation 20:3 uses the word “must.” He “must be released for a little while.” The word “must” implies it was a necessary part of God's divine plan. If God permanently disposed of the Anti-Christ and the False Prophet (Re.19:20), why not get rid of Satan too? Instead, because of God's divine wisdom He decides to bind Satan for 1,000 years. Binding him is to keep him locked up where he will be powerless to deceive anyone. There are three groups of people that will be alive during the Millennial kingdom. Group 1: Believer with immortal bodies. Those who have been raptured with their glorified bodies. These are believers who went to heaven, received our glorified bodies, and we returned to earth. They will not die, nor procreate (1Co.15:50-53). Group 2: Believer who survived to the end of Daniel's 70th Week. These have not received their glorified body. They have bodies as we do now that are susceptible to decay and temptation. These will naturally procreate. Group 3: The children born in natural bodies. These believers will have children? These children will need to believe in Christ as well to be saved. This gives us a clue as to why God “must” release Satan at the end of the 1,000 years. Throughout history, man has always been faced with a choice. Am I going to receive what God said about Himself, or am I going to reject that truth? During the Millennial kingdom, these children will not have to make that decision because the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord (Hk.2:14). There will not be any demonic activity. They will not have an opportunity to openly disbelieve God. With Satan released at the end of the 1,000 years, they will have to make the decision to accept God or not. Will they side with Satan and his army? Or will they place their faith in Christ? Thus, releasing Satan will reveal where people's hearts are at, and where their loyalty stands. Sadly, there will be a large population that will side with Satan (Re.20:8). We all have heard people say, “I would believe in God if I knew He existed because I saw Him.” That will not be an excuse anymore because, during the 1,000-year reign, people will see Jesus for themselves. Jesus will be reigning and ruling on the earth from Jerusalem. Also, during this time there will not be any demonic temptation. So, in a near perfect environment people will still side with Satan. This reveals the depraved nature of the human heart. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

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