Satan’s Demise
Opening Prayer
You, Lord, are the eternal King over all. You reign in glory forever and ever. All praise be to You!
Read REVELATION 20:1-15
[1] And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. [2] He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. [3] 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. After that, he must be set free for a short time. [4] I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. [5] (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. [6] Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. [7] When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison [8] and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth-Gog and Magog-to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. [9] They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. [10] And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. [11] Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. [12] And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. [13] The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. [14] Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. [15] If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
What is to be Satan’s fate?This is a short chapter when you consider the length of time it covers: a thousand years. Even if the thousand years is meant to be merely symbolic, here’s a valid question: why does God allow any delay? Why doesn’t he just terminate Satan when he deals with the beast and the false prophet? They end up in the same place after all (10). The Word of God is trying to tell us something about the human heart.
Perhaps this scene serves to show one last time that the human heart really is wicked. Imagine living in a world that had been free from sin and its effects for 1,000 years and yet allowing yourself to be deceived by Satan and his last-ditch attempt to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Yet Scripture says this is exactly what will happen (8,9). You can take people out of the way of sin, but you can’t take the ways of sin out of people’s hearts.
Failing to allow Jesus to deal with your sin is the one thing that determines which of the books your name appears in at the final judgment (12). That’s the biggest question everyone faces: where will your name be written?
Apply
At the end, will your name be written in the book of life? How can you be certain?
Closing prayer
Lord, thank You that You’ve made it possible for me to know that my name is written in Your book.
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