And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 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.
1. Understanding Revelation:
A. Revelation 1:1 The book of revelation is about Jesus. It is the revealing of Jesus Christ , not the revealing of world history, or the catholic church or the anti-Christ, or the destruction of Jerusalem or anything else. Now these other things may have a part, but chiefly you will find Jesus in Revelation just as you do in the rest of the Bible.
B. signified it That means put it in signs (hence the word SIGN ified). What this tells us is that the images in Revelation stand for something else. Thus a beast with ten horns is not really a beast with 10 horns, it stands for something else. 144,000 is really something else, the New Jerusalem, you may not know what it is, but you know what it is not it is not Jerusalem.
1. For example, here in Vs. 1 the angel has a chain to bind Satan with. Now, have you ever seen a literal chain of steel that you could bind a spiritual being with? NO. That is a sign for something else.
2. Who is the Angel?
A. What angel would have the power to bind Satan?
1. The Angel must be stronger than Satan Lk.11:21,22
2. Even Michael the Arch angel is not stronger than Satan Jude:9
3. So it must be someone stronger than Michael.
B. Notice he has his own keys (having the key of the bottomless pit)
1. This is not true of other angels in Revelation (i.e. 9:1 Unto him was given the key)
2. Look who Revelation says it is true of though:
3. Jesus Christ
a. Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
b. Revelation 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
C. The Word Angel actually means messenger, and Jesus was truly a messenger sent down from God
1. When does Jesus Christ do this binding of Satan?
A. Luke 11:21,22
B. The parallel passage in Matthew 12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
1. Here Jesus claims to be binding the strong man.
2. This is an answer to the prophet utterance in Isaiah 49:24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
C. Look what Jesus came to do: 1 John 3:8 . For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
D. Notice what Jesus said just prior to his crucifixion:
1. John 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. Satan, the prince of this world IS judged, not will be judged , but is judged
E. Now let s read a couple of passages that nail it down even further:
F. Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
1. Notice the time frame nailing it to his cross and when did he spoil principalities and powers? When did he triumph openly? In IT, what was the it? In His Cross.
G. Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
H. When did he destroy the devil? THROUGH DEATH (at his death)
1. Note: it is interesting to notice that David triumphed over Goliath the same way using Goliath s own weapon he cut off Goliath s head. Well, Jesus, using Satan s own weapon, DEATH, triumphed over Satan
2. The word destroy here does not mean that he caused him to cease to exist , it means simply that Satan is broken. All the parts are still there, he just doesn t work.
I. And again: Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
J. Satan was bound at the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ!
2. The reason this is so difficult for many to understand is that they pay no attention to what power Satan looses when he is bound.
A. Let s go back to Revelation 20:3 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.
B. Up to the death burial, resurrection and ascension Satan was the prince of this world. All the nations except Israel (and usually most of them) belonged to Satan.
1. Remember Matthew 4:1-12 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
2. Here Satan offers to give Jesus all the Kingdoms of the world, and Jesus reply wasn t Aw Satan, you know this world belongs to God.. no, He knew that the kingdoms of the earth did belong to Satan at that time.
3. If you were not a Jew, you were not one of God s people. Period!
C. But listen to Jesus AFTER his resurrection at the time of His ascension:
D. Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore into all nations
E. For the first time since Abraham, could all nations be brought into God s fold.
3. One last question, what about the 1000 yrs.?
A. It has been nearly 2000 years since this happened.
B. 1000 is a symbol just as the chain, key, bottomless pit, & dragon are. What is it a symbol of?
C. 1000 has always meant the same thing is symbolism The complete allotment , the whole thing.
1. Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
a. What about generation 1001? We all realize that 1000 here means all generations
2. Psalm 50:10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
a. And does he own the cattle upon hill 1001? Of course, 1000 is just a common symbol representing all of whatever is being talked about.
4. Conclusion
A. Jesus came and fulfilled his mission, and now Satan is bound.
1. You need have no fear, for he that is in you, is greater than he that is in the world!