Revelation 20:1-10
Lesson 1 PART C
THE RESTRAINT OF THE ADVERSARY.
REVELATION 20:1-3
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of
the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is
the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and
set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more,
till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he
must be loosed a little season.
The sequence: We first note John’s continued usage since Revelation 19
of the term “I SAW”. What he started seeing in Chapter 19, goes all
the way to eternity. It notes the clear chronological nature of the
sequence of events-helping to establish the historical 1,000-year reign
to come.
The Abyss: The Angel opened this place last with the key. Now Satan is cast
into the Pit. With the naming of the four names spelling the history of
Satan’s career, are cast into the abyss. DRAGON – OLD SERPENT – DEVIL – SATAN.
The justice: We are next told the place where Satan is bound. John says that
the angel “cast Satan into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a
seal upon him.” There is a poetic justice in God’s dealings with Satan.
Centuries ago, the evil one saw to it that the mortal remains of God’s beloved
Son were shut up in a tomb and sealed.
Throughout the tribulation era, Satan has opened the abyss to plague mankind,
once with horrible demons and once with the recalled soul of the beast.
Now he himself is consigned to that dark hole and sealed in by an act of God,
and there he rages in the most secure prison cell in the universe. It is the
condemned cell, and he knows it. He has his thoughts to keep him company,
and terrible thoughts they are –
Quoted from John Phillips, exploring Revelation, p. 253
* Thoughts of the day of his creation when he sprang mature, magnificent,
and mighty from the hand of God;
* Thoughts of the wide world that once he ruled as the anointed cherub;
* Thoughts of the ways in which once he led the worship of the angel hosts;
* Thoughts of God’s throne and his attempts to seize it for himself;
* Thoughts of his fall, of his entrance into Eden, of his short-lived
triumph over the first human pair;
* Thoughts of the sentence passed upon him and of his futile efforts to
prevent the coming of the promised Seed;
* Thoughts of Calvary and of his utter defeat;
* Thoughts of the fleeting moments when he brought the World to the foot
of the beast and had seemingly triumphed at last; thoughts of the lake of
fire just ahead. He is given a thousand years in confinement to think.
So, we now have the return of the King of Kings and the restraint of the adversary.
THREE TIMELESS PRINCIPLES
* GOD CARES He is genuinely interested in this World, its needs,
and its inhabitants-now as well as in the future.
(Hebrews 4:14-16)
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into
the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the
feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we
are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may
obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
* GOD CONTROLS He hasn’t lost control. God is sovereign,
and He is working all things together for good – even now as well
as in the future.
(Daniel 4:35)
35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and
he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the
inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him,
What doest thou?
(Psalm 139:9)
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost
parts of the sea;
* GOD COMMUNICATES – The God we serve is not a God of silence. He doesn’t want to
leave us in the dark. He lets us know what is going to happen down to some very minute details.
“Only one life to live and soon is past
Only what’s done for Christ will last!”
Hoping to make the time I have left count for the glory of God.
Revelation 20:1-10 Lesson 1 PART C