First, let us define our terms:
Satan was the Devil, the Dragon, the Serpent
Satan was a being that could tempt, hinder, and appear himself to people
Satan was an accuser of the brethren before God per Job's experience
Satan was the organizational head of evil spiritual entities. He was the "Osama bin Ladin" of the "powers, principalities," etc. of Ephesians 6:12, of those still appealed to today by the sorcerers outside the New Jerusalem, Rev 22:15.
Satan was NOT the sum of all evil.
Satan was NOT sin.
Satan was NOT the only evil being who could tempt, hinder, or appear to people.
Satan was NOT the only evil being, there are many lesser devils/demons, fallen angels, powers&principalities, etc. Eph 6:12.
Satan was NOT the Beast from the Sea, the Beast from the Earth or False Prophet
: two different periods, one before the 1000 years, the other after "little season" following 1000 years.
A) SATAN BOUND, CAST INTO THE BOTTOMLESS PIT, AND SEALED CIRCA 70AD.
B) SATAN CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE FOLLOWING BRIEF RELEASE A 1000 YEARS LATER.
Whether taken out by method A) or B), Satan himself no longer around men to tempt, hinder, walk about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, send messengers of Satan to buffet, receive people for the destruction of the flesh, etc. Satan himself is taken out of all interactions with men. He is rendered as powerless as Sadam Hussein A) hiding alone in the pit, or B) in Hell. Taken out: same effects whether method A) or B): ZERO INFLUENCE.
Just like taking out Osama bin Ladin would not bring an end to the activities of all terrorists,
taking out Satan did not bring an end to the activities of all evil beings.
(There are still evil beings present among men and todays sorcerers outside the New Jerusalem, (
Rev 22:15), appeal to these evil beings for powers, else they would not bother. But these evil beings are now on the outside looking in rather than organized by Satan into the ruling principalities & powers, etc. of Eph. 6:12).But taking out Satan did leave all evil beings incapable of organizing into the God’s-People-subjugating, world-dominating, IDOL-DEVIL-WORSHIPPING empires that characterized history under Satan’s influence: Roman Empire, Greek Empire, Medo-Persian Empire, Babylonian Empire, Assyrian Empire, Egyptian Empire, ad nauseum, on back to Nimrod’s Tower of Babel. The last such empire fell to its knees, declaring itself a Christian nation within the first quarter of the period of 70-1070AD just prior to the Council of Nicea, an epoch moment in history, an epoch moment celebrated by Eusebius in his landmark, Ecclesiastical History. The dominant religion of the dominant world powers has been the Religion of Christ ever since. There is neither Biblical nor historical evidence to indicate that this trend will ever change.
The entire 70-1070AD Middle Ages Millennium period marks the dramatic confrontation, conquest, and removal of idol-demon worshipping throughout the better part of the World, as Augustine details in his monumental The City of God. Idol-demon worshipping of the sort detailed in the Old Testament was once the universal norm, but has been vanquished to a bizarre novelty in remote corners ever since. Today's dominant world powers trace the origins of their prestige directly to this period of Christian discipleship, Christianization, of believing nations. Again, ever since the Roman Empire was conquered by Christians during the first quarter of this 1000 year Middle Age Millennium, resulting the last great God's-People-subjugating, idol-demon worshipping empire falling to its knees and declaring itself a Christian nation circa 313AD with Constantine's Edict of Toleration, the dominant religion of the dominant world powers has been the Religion of Christ. There is neither Biblical nor historical evidence to indicate that this trend will ever change. This is what characterized World affairs when Satan was taken out with binding/Abyssing/sealing and the Beast-rejecting Martyrs from the Tribulation reigned with Christ from the spiritual realm, having usurped the principalities & powers, etc. of Eph. 6:12.
This does not mean that Christ-spurning empires have not tried to form without Satan. But it does mean that they have never been able to reassemble what they enjoyed under Satan's direction: God's-People-subjugating, world-dominating, IDOL-DEVIL WORSHIPPING, empires. Soviet Communists tried to do it for 70 years, but never became world-dominant. Nazi-led Axis powers tried to do it for 12.5 years, but never became world-dominant. Islam has been trying to do it since Muhammad but, like the others, the Islamic empire has never come close to subjugating Christendom, (the sum of world powers whose dominant religion is that of Christ), except for during "the little season" of Satan's release (Rev 20:3b and Rev 20:7-9) following 1070AD. This relatively shorter, intensely dark age, this "little season" of Satan's release began with the close of "The Thousand Years" circa 1070AD and ended with the heavenly fires of the Reformation when Satan was cast into the Lake of Fire, never to be released again. This "little season" of Satan's release following "The Thousand Years" is outlined in the thread-opening article here THE MILLENNIUM = The Middle Ages, the 1,000 years following Jerusalem's Fall in 70ad. http://thekingdomcome.com/the_millennium_the_middle_ages_the_1_000_years_following_jerusale
Since that time, Satan has been taken out permanently, never to reappear among men, never to reprise any of his feverish activities so abundantly recorded by the New Testament throughout the 30-70AD period. The Bible records more activity of Satan among men during the 30-70AD period than all other Bible history put together! If Satan were taken out during that period by being bound as Rev 20:3 describes, and Satan was still able to perform all what the New Testament so abundantly records, then we have no to believe that Satan is prevented in any wise from the same activities among us today! That view guts the whole preterist view of its Christ-Saint-victorious optimism! (Likewise, if the 30-70AD period as recorded by the New Testament is what we get when the Saints reign with Christ, what a dark distress in which we are doomed for eternity! Singles should refrain from marrying!, etc.) But, in reality, Satan will never reprise any of his Bible recorded activities. Satan has been taken out permanently. Satan has ZERO influence today.
It should be noted that no sooner had Rev 20:9's "Fire from Heaven" begun to fall with the Reformation, thus indicating the end of the "little season of Satan's release" that followed the "Thousand Years" Middle Ages Millennium, that the Americas, indeed, the Western Hemisphere and the remotest corners of the World were subjected to the renewed confrontation, conquest, and removal of Old Testament-style idol-demon worshipping (and its accompanying cannibalism). This is what characterizes World affairs when Satan is taken out by being cast into the Lake of Fire and the Saints reign with Christ from the spiritual realm, having usurped the principalities & powers, etc. of Eph. 6:12.
4 Periods of time:
1) Adam's Fall to 70AD:
2) 70 to 1070AD:
3) 1070AD to Reformation (
4) Reformation (
Satan was bound, Abyssed, (cast into the Bottomless Pit), and sealed away from all interactions with humans throughout the "Day of the Lord" period of the Beast-rejecting Martyr's conquest & reign with Christ circa 70-1070AD, and Satan was cast into the Lake of Fire for the rest of eternity following his armies' destruction by the fires of the Reformation. During this "little season" following "The Thousand Years" of 70-1070AD, Satan's armies surrounded the New Jerusalem, the Community of true Christians, on evey side. And God responded by rescuing the New Jerusalem with fire from Heaven. The heavenly fire fell this time upon the Satan-led armies surrounding this New Jerusalem, "camp of the Saints, beloved City." Contrast this with God's response to old Jerusalem's being surrounded by armies in 70AD: He condemns with fiery destruction the old Jerusalem, but vindicates with fiery rescue the New Jerusalem over a thousand years later. (Contrast Nadab&Abiju's fiery experience in Leviticus 10:1-2 against Elijah's in 1 King 18:20-39). And God Almighty, the Father of Jesus & Christians, demonstrates what He is prepared to do again and again for His New Jerusalem People if ever needful: He will come their rescue & vindication, by fire from Heaven, if needful.
But it will never again be so desperately needful as before. Satan has been taken out. He can never do anything the Bible records ever again. And the Saints have been reigning ever since and forever! Amen! Today & Tommorrow and Forever is ours to author with God & Christ & the Spirit of Love among us, makers of the Universe!
TAKING OUT SATAN
SATAN: what he was NOT
SATAN: what he was