SATAN SHALL BE LOOSED
Revelation 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Revelation 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
During this “little season,” after the thousand year reign of the gospel during the church age, Satan is loosed from his prison to go out and deceived the nations again. To relate to this period, just think back in history before the cross, at which time Satan was bound by Christ (John 12:31-33). Consider Joseph having to live in Egypt; Daniel having to live in Babylon; Ezra living in the realms of Cyrus and Darius, and Christ living under Caesar.
But there is now one great difference. For “Gog and Magog” are the evangelized, but unregenerate masses of humanity. All have been exposed to the gospel, rendering them irrecoverable. Their minds have been blinded from the gospel due to their unbelief. 2 Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
And it is impossible to renew them back to repentance again! Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
There are then two distinct groups of humanity. One group of those who are truly spiritually born of God. The other are of blinded minds, due to their unbelief when presented the gospel, of whom it is impossible to be renewed for repentance ever again. They are irrecoverably lost! John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Spiritually speaking, due to their exposure to the gospel of Christ, and having rejected it, this second group have been now turned into the nature of dogs and sows. That is, they have lost their humanity, and mentally and spiritually are but as beasts. 2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. And as the age of gospel evangelism is over, the church will not be casting pearls, nor giving that which is holy to them.
And the true church is commanded to refrain from giving that which is holy to the dogs, and from casting such as the pearl of great price to sows! Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Philippians 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. (“Concision” is physical circumcision done legally by religion seeking acceptance with God, which is but “mutilation.”) 3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
The Lord said that his second coming would be like the days of Noah. And the scriptures reveal that after Noah preached righteousness for 120 years, God shut him in the ark, where he sat for seven days before the rains came. Genesis 7:4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. 10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth. 16 And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.
He was still right there on the same property, among the same population, but now sealed up in the ark, after all that preaching, he could not benefit them with another word! For in shutting Noah and his family in, God had shut the population out! The flood would now be there their only teacher! But then it was too late. Matthew 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
So shall the church be removed from befitting a single soul in the masses of “Gog and Magog” during this little season! Isaiah 26:20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. 21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.
God’s punishment shall then be their teacher! But then it will be too late. Revelation 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 2 Thessalonians 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
The Lord also said his return to earth would be as the days of Lot. Luke 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
Lot tried to get his daughters, and sons-in-law to escape the wrath that was to fall, but the scriptures state, he seemed as one that mocked! Genesis 19:14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. Needless to say, they were consumed by the fire that fell upon the city!
The love of the gospel and the love of Christ brings with it the love of life! But to reject the gospel and Christ is as much as a love of eternal death! Proverbs 8:32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. 33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. 35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. 36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
For just as sure as Satan was cast into the bottomless pit for the gospel to go forth in its millennial age, so shall he also be cast into the lake of fire! 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. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
And just as sure as gospel rejectors remain spiritually dead in their sins by their rejection of Christ, so shall they be brought before the great white throne to be judged by Christ! For they must participate in the resurrection of damnation! John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
But the redeemed of the Lord shall not have to appear to be judged at that throne! For their sins and iniquities were already judged in Christ at the cross! Romans 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
1 Corinthians 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. Why was this day called, “the days of Lot” and not the day of Abraham? Was not the man of great faith present in that day? Of course he was. But he had judged himself in true, godly repentance. Therefore it was a day of judgment against Lot, and not Abraham!
The blood of Christ, shed on that cross, and applied to the repentant sinner, frees him from all future condemnation! Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Hebrews 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
They are presented “faultless before the presence of his glory!” Jude 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Colossians 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
As the blood of the Holy Lamb of God finishes the transgression and makes and end of sins, (Daniel 9:24), so the Holy Spirit makes application of Christ’s work to the believing soul, thus dealing with the matter of judgment! The world of unbelievers are convicted by the Holy Spirit of their sin of not believing in Jesus Christ as the Son of God! John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
True, God-granted repentance removes judgment! Revelation 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Revelation 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
It is most dangerous, even to the eternal destruction of one’s soul not to be watchful and sober minded in this late hour. 1 Peter 1:13 ¶ Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 4:7 ¶ But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 5:8 ¶ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
And make no mistake about it, dear Reader, all of Satan’s agents – those deceived and used to deceive others – become victims! Satan has no friends! 2 Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
But all of Christ’s sheep are protected in natural life, and have eternal life assured to them. John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. He even makes them friends and joint heirs! Romans 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;…
Pastor Gene Breed
October 6, 2017
