Is the Devil bound right now...?

[Cassian]

The devil is not bound any more than a bird is bound to its nest!

Question
Would you please assist me with a question about Revelation 20? I understand that Christ is now reigning and that when death is conquered at his second coming his reign will end. I know his reign is not a literal thousand years. But my question is: How is Satan bound for the thousand years when I Peter 5:8 says he is here at work.

[HR][/HR] Answer:

"Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 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" (Revelation 12:1-3).

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The idea behind "bound" (the Greek word deo) is not necessarily an absolute imprisonment, but typically speaks of placing restrictions on someone. When you tie up your dog, he is not on his back with his feet roped together as in a calf roping contest. He has some freedom of movement, but he can't go everywhere he might want to go.

In Revelation, one of the things we have described for us is Satan's attempts at preventing God from establishing His kingdom on earth. As Jesus predicted, Satan was unable to stop God from accomplishing His will. "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). In the process of killing Jesus, Satan sealed his own defeat because it was through the death of Christ that salvation came into the world and the kingdom was established. Christ's kingdom raided Satan's domain, bring out those held in the bondage of sin.

In Revelation we see that Satan tried to use the governmental authorities of the time to destroy the newly founded kingdom, but it was prophesied that in the end Satan would lose. One of the results of his loss was that he was bound (restricted) and the terms of his restriction are mentioned in Revelation 20:3, he is prevented from using the nations to make war on the church. This will continue until just before the end.

"And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven"" (Luke 10:18).

"He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil" (I John 3:8).

"Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it" (Colossians 2:15).

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However, this doesn't mean Satan isn't still causing problems for Christians. It just means he can't do all that he would like to do against the Church. For about two thousand years now, the gospel message has spread through the world. It is translated into almost every language. There are faithful brethren across the globe. Satan has tried his best to stop the spread, but it has been unstoppable because God is keeping Satan reined in.

Satan is definitely bound. How is that so? When Christ died He entered the domain of Satan. Christ by death defeated death because He arose from the dead. Death has been defeated thus Satan has lost absolute power over death. All mankind and the world was redeemed from death. It is Christ's resurrection that has bound Satan. All men will be raised immortal and incorruptible in the last day.

The binding has absolutely nothing to do with Satan's activity nor some premillennial kingdom. Mankind is free to choose Christ or Satan. Satan knows he has been defeated but he is working mightily in trying to gather as many as he can away from Christ. The real war is between God and Satan and they are waging a war over the souls of men.

 

[Cassian]

lol.. Well if yuo do not know scripture. Then I certainly do not need to listen to you.

Revelation 12:10 [Full Chapter]
Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.


Oh and just in case you say that was past.. You can do the work of looking it up to get context..

So, you don't believe that the Messiah has yet come? Seems 2000 years, per scripture, would be past tense.

 

[DP]

I find it impossible to put the "thousand years" reign of Christ of Rev.20 back to the time of His death and resurrection.

The Rev.19 through Rev.20 are chronological events. Rev.19 reveals Christ's second coming, not His first coming.

Moreover, the "day of the Lord" events were first mentioned in the OT Books of God's prophets, and both Apostle Paul and Apostle Peter aligned the day of Christ's second coming with that "day of the Lord" (1 Thess.5; 2 Pet.3:10).

The Rev.19 event of "the supper of the Great God" is aligned with the fowls and beast's supper in Ezekiel 39, which Ezekiel 40 forward then goes chronologically right into Christ's millennium reign, even revealing God's River and the tree of life manifested on earth in the middle east.

But I do agree Christ's spiritual Kingdom became manifest at His cross. And His future reign for the "thousand years" in Rev.20 WITH His elect priests and kings has not yet come today.

And especially, there is no New Testament Scripture to show that our Lord Jesus is now sitting upon the throne of His inheritance, which is the throne of His father David; instead our Lord Jesus is sitting at the right hand of The Father's throne (Luke 1:32; Acts 2:29-35). Even in Rev.3:21, that has yet to occur.

And Paul's Message in 1 Cor.15:23-28 states the requirement that Christ reign over all His enemies prior to the coming of God's Kingdom. That reign by Christ is the "thousand years" period of Rev.20. In Zechariah 14, towards the latter part, we are also shown Christ reigning on earth, over nations like Egypt! How many of you actually believe that is happenning today?

That Jesus is to reign over ALL NATIONS with His "rod of iron" is also a huge time marker that it means a LITERAL reign over those nations after His second coming, and that it has yet to occur.

 

[Ahwatukee]

Listen...and learn...


Write what things you saw (past), and what things are (Present), and what things are about to occur after these things (Future). (Rev 1.19)

What you have seen: Everything that John saw within his vision from Rev.1:1 to 1:19

What is now: Represented by the letters to the seven churches and which is stands for the entire church period, which we are still in, that is, we are still in the "Now".

What must take place later: Everything that will take place after the "Now," that is, everything that will take place after the church period has concluded, which is basically the wrath of God poured out via the seals, trumpets and bowl judgments.

 

[Rudimental]

Sounds like binding to me...

OP asked is the devil "bound" right now.

But OP did not state what he/she meant by "bound".

There's different types or versions or kinds of bound.

There is being completely bound ie locked in a cell.

Then there is being a little bound ie not locked up but on a chain.

Then there is being bound by rules and regulations.

OP did not state what he/she meant by bound!

Therefore this thread is just going to go round and round in circles............

 

[eternally-gratefull]

So, you don't believe that the Messiah has yet come? Seems 2000 years, per scripture, would be past tense.

Messiah did not destroy the gentile kingdoms..

So. No, he has not yet come to fulfill those prophesies (see daniel)

 

[Ahwatukee]

OP asked is the devil "bound" right now.

But OP did not state what he/she meant by "bound".

There's different types or versions or kinds of bound.

There is being completely bound ie locked in a cell.

Then there is being a little bound ie not locked up but on a chain.

Then there is being bound by rules and regulations.

OP did not state what he/she meant by bound!

Therefore this thread is just going to go round and round in circles............

Hello Rudimental,

No, actually the thread goes around and around, because of A-millennialism. It is made very clear of what type of binding it is, for scripture states that an angel will come down out of heaven and will seize Satan and throw him into the Abyss where he will be bound during the thousand year reign of Christ.

"He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended."

Regardless of what type of binding it is, it is clear that it will be in the Abyss, which is under the surface of the earth. And by Satan's binding it will keep him from having any exposure at all to the inhabitants of the earth during that time.

 

[Rudimental]

Hello Rudimental,

No, actually the thread goes around and around, because of A-millennialism. It is made very clear of what type of binding it is, for scripture states that an angel will come down out of heaven and will seize Satan and throw him into the Abyss where he will be bound during the thousand year reign of Christ.

"He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended."

Regardless of what type of binding it is, it is clear that it will be in the Abyss, which is under the surface of the earth. And by Satan's binding it will keep him from having any exposure at all to the inhabitants of the earth during that time.

Right, and that has NOT happened YET.

He would not be prowling around like a bored hungry lion if it had already had happened.

I don't know why some people have such a hard time accepting this.

But as you say, its that A-millennialism eschatology which is just a premillennial or postmillennial interpretation of Revelation 20.

Which is in a nutshel "Satan is bound during the Millennium—The Saints will then live and reign with Christ—The dead stand before God and are judged out of the books according to their works."

This has not happened yet people!

But it IS in the pipeline.

But its all vanity.

 

[valiant]

Cupid,

Young Skywalker, you are mistaken about a great many things. These are not the droids you're looking for. For one, it is not about me wanting Jesus to "come now and stay only 1000 years" but it is what scripture states and it wouldn't matter to me anyway because I will have already received my glorified body by that time. And two, after Satan is bound in the Abyss for that thousand years, he will be let out just long enough to gather Gog and MaGog (short time) and then he will be directly thrown into the lake of fire. He's not going on vacation after the thousand years!

According to scripture, after the end of the thousand years, the great white throne judgment takes place and following that John sees the new heaven, new earth and the New Jerusalem, eternity. That is the chronological order of events according to scripture.

Don't forget the bit that that king will prove to be a complete failure and inadequate as king. He is on earth to rule with all his powers at his bidding but seemingly will be ruling so badly that large numbers of people will rebel against his rule. His rule will be so inadequate that he will be unable to contain the rebellion (in spite of ruling with a rod of iron - seems he got careless) and will allow many of his faithful people to be raped, pillaged and murdered. In spite of having millions of immortals on his side he will suffer defeat after defeat only being saved at the last minute by divine intervention. Seemingly he had no defence against Satan.

Thank God the Jesus Christ I KNOW is omniscient and would not be caught out, is omnipotent and would not be defeated, and has Satan under his complete control. To think that He would rule on earth and be such a complete failure is quite frankly blasphemy. Is that part of the American Dream?

Even if Satan was let loose He would be able to prevent any actions on his part.

 

[valiant]

Hello Rudimental,

No, actually the thread goes around and around, because of A-millennialism. It is made very clear of what type of binding it is, for scripture states that an angel will come down out of heaven and will seize Satan and throw him into the Abyss where he will be bound during the thousand year reign of Christ.

Yes, and that has already happened. Satan was bound by Jesus and the Holy Spirit (Matt 12.28-29) which enabled the angel to throw him 'into the Abyss' (put him ender restraint in the spiritual realm) where he was joined later by many of his minions (Col 2.15) until they are released (Reve 9.1-11).

"He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended."

Amen, that is why the nations are now open to receiving Christ.

Regardless of what type of binding it is, it is clear that it will be in the Abyss, which is under the surface of the earth.

Don't be absurd. Satan is a powerful spirit. He could not possibly be detained within a spatial Abyss. And certainly not 'under the earth'. You are SOOOOOO naïve. You seem unable to break way from the flesh. Don't you know anything about the spiritual world?

And by Satan's binding it will keep him from having any exposure at all to the inhabitants of the earth during that time.

Scripture does not say that. It says that he will be unable to deceive them which is a very different thing.

Premillennialism is Satan's latest invention forced on the church to inhibit its spiritual growth.

 

[Cassian]

Messiah did not destroy the gentile kingdoms..

So. No, he has not yet come to fulfill those prophesies (see daniel)

Daniel is compete. The only thing that remains is the resurrection.


As long as you hang on to your man made theories of modern times you will never understand scripture.

 

[eternally-gratefull]

Daniel is compete. The only thing that remains is the resurrection.


As long as you hang on to your man made theories of modern times you will never understand scripture.

Nope it is not.

The messiah did not crush the 4 kingdoms, nor has the final form the the 4th kingdom even come into being yet (even Jesus said it was yet future in Matt 24)

As long as consider the words of men are higher than the word of God, You will never understand scripture.

 

[eternally-gratefull]

Yes, and that has already happened. Satan was bound by Jesus and the Holy Spirit (Matt 12.28-29) which enabled the angel to throw him 'into the Abyss' (put him ender restraint in the spiritual realm) where he was joined later by many of his minions (Col 2.15) until they are released (Reve 9.1-11).



Amen, that is why the nations are now open to receiving Christ.



Don't be absurd. Satan is a powerful spirit. He could not possibly be detained within a spatial Abyss. And certainly not 'under the earth'. You are SOOOOOO naïve. You seem unable to break way from the flesh. Don't you know anything about the spiritual world?


Scripture does not say that. It says that he will be unable to deceive them which is a very different thing.

Premillennialism is Satan's latest invention forced on the church to inhibit its spiritual growth.

Yep. and we have seen over the last 2000 years (more so in the last 50 years) how satan is so able to decieve the lost. and so many nations.

So your argument against is actually an argument for.. Thank you.

 

[Cassian]

Right, and that has NOT happened YET.

He would not be prowling around like a bored hungry lion if it had already had happened.

I don't know why some people have such a hard time accepting this.

But as you say, its that A-millennialism eschatology which is just a premillennial or postmillennial interpretation of Revelation 20.

Which is in a nutshel "Satan is bound during the Millennium—The Saints will then live and reign with Christ—The dead stand before God and are judged out of the books according to their works."

This has not happened yet people!

But it IS in the pipeline.

But its all vanity.

If you agree with all the fantasy spinners could you please help them to give evidence that any one of these theories of premillennialism, dispensationalism and an earthly kingdom was ever the teaching of scripture from the beginning. They don't seem to be able to do so, but still claim it is scriptural as taught by the apostles.

Or, if you need to look at it from the current side, why would the Holy Spirit withhold such revelation until just recently and then not to give it as a unifying revelation since he apparently has given it personally to Miller, Darby, Schofield, but more recently the likes of Lindsey, Walvoord, Ryrie, Hagee, and Impe? Can you explain this phenonomon which also disagrees with Scripture per II Pet 1:20-21?

 

[Cassian]

Nope it is not.

The messiah did not crush the 4 kingdoms, nor has the final form the the 4th kingdom even come into being yet (even Jesus said it was yet future in Matt 24)

As long as consider the words of men are higher than the word of God, You will never understand scripture.

So far you are hung up on man made theories. Yet you cannot produce any evidence that the Gospel from the beginning has always believed, taught the view you are espousing. If it is the Gospel Truth then it will have been believed and understood by all Christians right from the beginning. So, where is your evidence? All you have is your acceptance of modern theorist with maybe some of your own personal interpretation. Hardly the Gospel from the beginning. Hardly Holy Spirit given.

 

[eternally-gratefull]

So far you are hung up on man made theories. Yet you cannot produce any evidence that the Gospel from the beginning has always believed, taught the view you are espousing. If it is the Gospel Truth then it will have been believed and understood by all Christians right from the beginning. So, where is your evidence? All you have is your acceptance of modern theorist with maybe some of your own personal interpretation. Hardly the Gospel from the beginning. Hardly Holy Spirit given.

The gospel is not end times prophesy, Thats your first problem.

Man does not determine what God said, the bible does, thats your second problem.

Again, STOP LISTENING TO MEN, and listen to the word.

 

[Ahwatukee]

Right, and that has NOT happened YET.

He would not be prowling around like a bored hungry lion if it had already had happened.

I don't know why some people have such a hard time accepting this.

But as you say, its that A-millennialism eschatology which is just a premillennial or postmillennial interpretation of Revelation 20.

Which is in a nutshel "Satan is bound during the Millennium—The Saints will then live and reign with Christ—The dead stand before God and are judged out of the books according to their works."

This has not happened yet people!

But it IS in the pipeline.

But its all vanity.

I think that we are on the same page here. Correct! That binding will not take place until Christ returns to end the age, which will not be until the wrath of God has been completed, which is at the end of the great tribulation period.

But as you say, its that A-millennialism eschatology which is just a premillennial or postmillennial interpretation of Revelation 20.

A-millennialism doesn't even have a premillennial or postmillennial interpretation, for they believe that we are currently living in the thousand years, which they don't even believe is literal, but is an unknown about of time and that because they apply the formula of Ps.50:10 as being the same in Rev.20:1-2. They basically allegorize/spiritualize end time events. In regards to the resurrection and catching away, which all true believers are anticipating and watching for, they do not believe that believers, dead and living, are going to be bodily resurrected at the Lord's appearing.

 

[Cassian]

The gospel is not end times prophesy, Thats your first problem.

So you hold to the view that some of the Revelation given is actually not Gospel, thus does not need to be believed. Instead you can create your own theories.

Man does not determine what God said, the bible does, thats your second problem.

half right. Man does not but you seem to hold to man's theories. The Bible does not determine what God said. The Holy Spirit gave and preserves His revelation. Scripture, the Bible is a witness to that Truth. It is not the Truth, Christ is the Truth and the Way.

Again, STOP LISTENING TO MEN, and listen to the word.

prove that I am listening to men rather than the Holy Spirit. On the other hand we already know that the theories being floated around are all man made theories who distinctively bear their names. All are of modern times. No matter how many times you might say your little mantra, it cannot change the facts of history.

I might add that even as a Protestant I never held to these views. They are clearly man derived.

 

[eternally-gratefull]

So you hold to the view that some of the Revelation given is actually not Gospel, thus does not need to be believed. Instead you can create your own theories.

The gospel is the good news of Jesus, it is salvation by grace through faith. It is not what will happen at the end of the age..

half right. Man does not but you seem to hold to man's theories. The Bible does not determine what God said. The Holy Spirit gave and preserves His revelation. Scripture, the Bible is a witness to that Truth. It is not the Truth, Christ is the Truth and the Way.

Your the one that holds scripture alone is a faulty doctrine, that the men of your church hold more power. Not me..

I hold that Christ, Not your church, or the men of your church , is the truth and the way.

prove that I am listening to men rather than the Holy Spirit. On the other hand we already know that the theories being floated around are all man made theories who distinctively bear their names. All are of modern times. No matter how many times you might say your little mantra, it cannot change the facts of history.

Well you say Satan is bound, he is not
You claim Jesus already destroyed the gentile kingdoms and Daniel is fulfilled. Yet it is not. (the roman empire has not even done what Daniel has said it would do completely yet, so it could not be fulfilled)

Of course. no one can prove anythign to you. You put your faiht in men, Not gods word. so no one can say a word.

I might add that even as a Protestant I never held to these views. They are clearly man derived.

lol.. No they were derived by your church in the 300's And since your church destroyed all records pree 300's which opposed what they believed. You can not prove otherwise.

Thats why we stick to the word not men.

 

[valiant]

A-millennialism doesn't even have a premillennial or postmillennial interpretation, for they believe that we are currently living in the thousand years, which they don't even believe is literal, but is an unknown about of time and that because they apply the formula of Ps.50:10 as being the same in Rev.20:1-2. They basically allegorize/spiritualize end time events.

That is simply untrue. We do not allegorise or spiritualise Rev 20. We see the reign of Christ with His saints ruling over the world today as literal. We see Satan's restriction/binding as being as literal as it can be given that Satan is a spirit and not physical.

In regards to the resurrection and catching away, which all true believers are anticipating and watching for, they do not believe that believers, dead and living, are going to be bodily resurrected at the Lord's appearing.

you must meet some strange people. Of course amillennialists believe in the resurrection of the dead and the rapture of the living saints at the coming of Christ.

To distort your opponents views is LYING. And you know what happens to liars?