Automatic Transcript Generated:
Speaker 1
Actually, this one kind of gets this one relates to Darius’s question.
Speaker 2
So I was asking why would God let Satan loose upon the earth in the end times, knowing the damage he’s already caused to humanity? And why would he let him out of the fiery pit after that?
Speaker 1
Yeah, I love the question, Athena, and I’m sure this confuses a lot of people, like, why would God do that? What’s going on? But it’s important to always understand what’s the context, what is going on. And we have to keep in mind first that there’s this huge conflict going on between God and Satan. Satan wants to take over. Satan wants to be in control. He’s challenging God’s authority. He’s accusing God of being bad, God of being unfair. And now we’re in this huge conflict where we have a choice of which side do we want to be on. And if you’re in God’s position, how are you going to put an end to this rebellion? What is the best way to go about making sure rebellion will never, ever happen again? And that everybody will trust God and trust his kingdom, his laws, and believe that God is who God says he is? If you’re God, how would you go about that? That’s really the thrust of this question. So let’s start looking at these verses, though, that we have a revelation that Athena is referring to. It starts in Revelation chapter 20, starting at verse one.
Speaker 1
And it reads, then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the devil, and Satan, and bound him for 1000 years. And he cast them 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. And did you catch that? It says he must be released for a little while. Must his Greek word die, actually die, meaning that this thing is necessary. So it’s necessary. There’s a reason God has to let Satan out. So why this keeps going. In Revelation 20, verse verse seven, it says now then, the 1000 years have expired. Satan will be released from prison and will go out to deceive the nations that are in the four corners of the earth, god and Magog. So God let Satan out and then Satan now goes to deceive the nation. That’s what he does. I mean, Jesus says he’s a liar.
Speaker 1
This is what Satan does. Lies, lies, lies. And now he’s deceiving everybody, the whole world, basically everybody who is not in the remnant that’s God’s special people, you’re now out to get deceived by Satan. And he rallies everybody to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. So Satan is not just getting everybody on his side, he’s getting him on his side to wage war against God. So we’re talking about yeah. So when is it okay to fight? God’s not taking a fight here. Satan is taking the battle to God. He takes everybody. In verse nine it says they went up on the breath of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. So revelation isn’t in chronological order actually at this time. The heavenly city is now landed on earth and Satan and all the wicked people surround the holy city to rage war. I mean they completely encompass it in it’s now a siege city, can you believe that? And it’s now at this point when baby Satan will dig up nuclear weapons and they’re preparing them, ready to launch them at the holy city.
Speaker 1
Who knows what right he would do anything. And it’s now at this point that fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. So God doesn’t strive for us. God has strike it defensively and think about what’s going on here now. It’s so clear what’s going to happen if God doesn’t and put it into sin. Sin will try to destroy all that is good. It’s almost an act of necessity now to destroy wickedness. All life basically hinges on God bringing it into sin. Now with this in mind, let’s look at some verses two. Peter, three, verses seven to ten. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and prediction of ungodly men. Beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day. Thousand years. Where do we hear this again? Maybe he’s talking about the millennium. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness, but his longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish. God doesn’t want anybody to die.
Speaker 1
He doesn’t want anybody destroyed. He’s waiting the most he can to give people a chance, but all should come to repentance. That’s what God really wants. So like if there was any doubt ever, god is giving everybody one last shot in a sense. But everybody’s hearts at this point are already set. It’s not going to change anything, but God’s letting things play out so that we see what’s going to happen. So verse ten we see but the day the Lord will come as a thief and night in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise and the elements will melt away with urban heat. Both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up so wicked or destroyed. All the wickedness on this planet are destroyed and we will get a blank slate. And just so important to remember that it’s written. Do you not know that friendship with the world is ammunity with God. Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James four four. Do you really believe that? If you don’t understand why this is why God needs to let things play out, I recommend you check out Isaiah 45 versus 16 to 25.
Speaker 1
And it’s talking about Satan and his no, not that one, but it’s God talking about again, his patience and what’s going on. Let’s look at Nahem says verse three. It says the Lord mayhem one. Verse three. It says, the Lord is slow to anger and grace and power and will not at all equip. The wicked Lord has his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the deaths of his feet. The Lord is good a stronghold in the day of trouble. Was there ever more a day in trouble? And when God could be a stronghold when his people are all surrounded the Holy City, completely surrounded by Satan and every single wicked human being who’s ever lived, and all the wicked angels too, all surrounding the Holy City. God is that stronghold in that day of trouble, in any day of trouble for us. And he knows those who trust in Him, he does. They will be in the Holy City, but with an overflowing flood. He will make an utter end of its place and darkness will pursue his enemies. What do you conspire against the Lord? He will make an utter end of it.
Speaker 1
Affliction will not rise up a second time. See, this is God’s goal. He doesn’t want to ever be sin or rebellion ever again. Let things play out so we all completely understand where it goes and why God is so wise and right. Verse ten. For wild tangled like thorns and wild drunken, like drunkards, they will be devoured like stubborn, fully dried. God’s going to not leave anything. Isaiah 14, starting at verse twelve. How you are fallen, O Heaven, o Lucifer, son of the morning. That’s the verse that I was reading earlier. So this whole area is talking about Lucifer. We go on to verse 19. It says, you are cast out of your grave like an abominal branch, like the garment of those who are slain, brush through with a sword, who go down to the stones of the pit like a corpse trodden underfoot. I think this reference to how Satan, what we read back in Revelation 20 is chained to the earth. He’s not going anywhere. But everybody else right now is dead. He’s there by himself and maybe with his fellow demons prepare for slaughter for his children. Verse 21. Because of the iniquity of the fathers, lest they rise up and possess the land and fill the face of the world with cities.
Speaker 1
So God says, I got to wipe out Satan and wipe out all of his people and all of his followers. Everybody chooses to be on his side, because if I don’t, they’re going to take over. They’ll take over the Earth, maybe the universe, and they will just fill it with sin and wickedness and I can’t have that. This is why these things have to come and come to pass. This is what’s going on. And I hope that makes sense and great. Athena says thank you. Makes total sense for me. Awesome. Thank you for the feedback. And Joyce Revelation chapters are fantastic. And James teachings, too, are fantastic. Yeah, I love all the books, but James and Revelations are definitely at the top. I’m saving revelations. Always laugh at people who say Revelations, and I’m doing it now.
Speaker 2
Yes, I have another comment as well. God is capable of doing practically whatever he wants, but has great mercy for us. And I guess part of it is part of it is kind of an illusion due to spacing.
Speaker 3
I think it’s a good comment.
Speaker 1
I’m curious. You said revelations. Was that a typical? Because I know a lot of people refer to that. I’m like, Where does that come from, Revelations? Whereas I’m used to calling it like the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Speaker 3
The chapters.
Speaker 1
I’m really curious.
Speaker 3
I had a friend that used to say Revelations, too, and I was like I just thought it was adorable.
Speaker 1
Because.
Speaker 3
It was multiple things that he saw as a revelation. So I know it’s a revelation of Jesus Christ we see in chapter one, but I think that’s so cool.
Speaker 1
It must be a grouper or church denomination where that’s come about.
Speaker 2
Or a culture.
Speaker 1
Or culture, yeah.
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