QUESTION:
Dear Pearl, I'm writing you about the parts I understand, and the part that I do not understand.
The thousand years began with the enthronement of Jesus, perfect.
Satan was closed in the abyss for the thousand years, perfect (Rev.20:2).
But in these thousand years, however, many Saints have been burned and persecuted as heretics, and the world has never stopped having tribulations.
If Satan was locked up, who persecuted the Saints in the symbolic 1000 years?
When would Satan supposedly be released from the abyss again to persecute the saints, and I imagine the nations, also?
MY REPLY:
Satan was not locked up in the abyss, to stop persecution, or to stop his reign over the world.
Rev.20:3 tells us the reason why he is locked up.
It is so that he "cannot mislead the nations, any longer".
Yet we see that the nations in general, are still being mislead (1John 5:19; 2Cor. 4:4).
When Rev.20:3 mentions "the nations" that Satan is being restrained from misleading, is it referring to all people on earth?
No.
It is referring to people OF all nations... an international group (Gen.17:5; Gal.3:28-29; Acts 10:34-35).
At Rev.5:9-10, we see that those anointed as royal priests, are also an international group.
That priesthood, comprises God's spiritual temple (1Pet. 2:5,9-10; 1Cor. 3:16; Eph.2:20-22).
The "living stones" of that Temple, are also the Body members of Jesus Christ (John 2:21; 1Cor. 12:27-28; Eph.2:20-21)
and also, his Bride members
(Eph.5:23,29-30,31-32; 1Cor. 6:17; John 17:22-23; Rev.21:9-10,2-3; 1Cor. 3:16).
Those who are anointed into these positions, previously belonged to Satan's world
(Eph.2:1-3; 1Cor. 6:11; Eph.5:25-27; 1John 1:7,9).
God's spirit found them (Ps.34:15) and gave them to Jesus (John1 7:6,9; Heb.2:10-12,13-15). Jesus taught them the knowledge from God (John 17:25-26; Luke 10:22) and assigned them to teach as he did
(John 20:21-22; Acts 1:8; Matt.28:19-20; 2Cor. 5:20; Matt.5:14-16; Mal.2:7; John 13:20)
(Luke 6:43-45; John 15:8,16; Matt.13:52).
Anointed priests of God, are given truth, and assigned to teach the truth (1John 2:20; John 8:32; 17:3; 2Tim. 4:2; Mal.2:7).
Teaching the truths of God, requires them to be set free from the power of Satan, to deceive them.
Like the world under Satan's power (Luke 4:5-6); the Elect were previously in spiritual darkness.
God's spirit, brought them out from Satan's power to deceive and mislead them, into the light of Truth
(Isa.60:2; 2Cor. 4:4,6; 1Pet. 2:9; Luke 10:17-19; 2Cor. 2:11; John 14:17; 1John 5:19).
Do you think that Satan wants to let them go and give them freedom?
Do you think Satan wants their testimony of truth from Christ, to weaken the power of his misleading darkness?
(Eph.6:11-12,16; 5:11; Luke 10:17-19; Rev.12:10-12)
As you see at Rev.12:10, Satan is constantly making accusations against Christ's disciples. Satan does not want them to know the truths of God, or to be faithful in teaching truth to others. He and his lying doctrine, false signs and portents... are at spiritual war, with agents of divine Truth (Rev.16:13-14; 17:14; 2Cor. 10:3-5).
Jesus is the protector of his Bride members (John 17:12,14-15,11,26; Eph.5:23,29).
How does Jesus depict the rescue of his bride, saving them from Satan's power to mislead them?
How does Jesus take his bride members, away from Satan's dominion over them?
While Jesus was still on earth, he gave us a parable about Satan... and how the saints are rescued by Jesus...
Matt.12: "29 How can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house."
Luke 11: "21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his estate, his possessions are secure. 22 But when one stronger than he attacks and overpowers him, he takes from him all his weapons he trusted in, and divides up his plunder."
The Bride members of Jesus, were previously Satan's possession. He does not want to let go of them.
Jesus became more powerful than Satan
(John 14:30; 16:33; Matt.28:18; Eph.1:21-23; 1John 2:17; 1Cor. 15:24-25).
The "weapons" that Satan trusted in, are his dark deceptions and threats of persecution and death (John 8:44; Rev.12:11; Matt.10:28; Mark 8:35; John 16:2; Mark 13:13).
Jesus is the light of the world (John 1:4-5; 8:12) and when he sets you free from darkness, you are free indeed (John 8:36). Jesus has taken from Satan, the weapons he trusted in (Eph.6:16; 2Cor. 4:4) by making deception, fear, and death, powerless
(Heb.2:14-15; John 8:32,36; Luke 4:16-18,19-21).
In the parables above at Matt.12:29 and Luke 11:21-22
Jesus depicted how he rescues from Satanic deception.... Not the world (John 17:9) ...but his disciples.
Please compare that parable of Jesus (Matt.12:29), to your scripture in question... Rev.20:2.
So again, Satan is chained in the abyss by Jesus, to prevent him from being able to mislead his Bride and Temple kingdom priests.
As regards Satan's ability to persecute...
All anointed are persecuted (Matt.24:9; 2Tim. 3:12; Rom.8:17; Phil.3:10) and hated by Satan's world (John 15:18,20).
While following the footsteps of Jesus (1Pet. 2:21; Matt.16:24-25; Luke 22:28)
the elect must prove their love for truth, by dying for it. (Rev.6:9-11; Mark 8:35; Rev.12:10-11; Rom.6:5).
Through their tested faithfulness, they are able to receive their reward
(1Pet. 4:13; Rom.8:17; Rev.2:7; 2:26; 3:5,21; 21:7; 6:11).
Jesus never said that he would restrain Satan from persecuting the saints. He did warn about a contrary situation (Luke 22:31; 1Pet. 5:8-10).
Jesus restrained Satan, so that he could not mislead the bride members
(Luke 11:19-20,21-22; Isa.49:24,25; 42:7,16; Col.1:13; John 12:36; Luke 4:18; 10:18-20; 2Cor. 2:11; John 1:5; Matt.5:16).
The world is mislead and in darkness (Isa.60:2; 2Cor. 4:4; John 3:19), but the anointed are set free
from Satanic and demonic control (1John 5:19; John 15:19).
Jesus bound Satan's power, and restrained him from misleading the anointed.
(Matt.12:29; Rev.20:2-3).
All of this may become much clearer to you, if you realize that Rev.20:3 is not physical.
It is a parable, used to describe spiritual power.
(Matt.13:10-11,34-35)
The abyss is not a physical place.
To understand both... Satan being chained in the abyss, AND
Satan being released from the abyss to
'surround' and mislead the remaining seed of the woman (Rev.20:7-9; Luke 21:20,24; Rev.12:17; 13:7,10; Col.2:8; Matt.24:24-25)...
...a consideration of this post to follow, is necessary:
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