“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” 1 Peter 5:8-9
It Can’t Be Anymore Plain – Scripture Interprets Scripture
Revelation 20:1-3
“And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.”
The primary distinctive of amillennial theology is the belief that we are currently in the millennial kingdom. The clear meaning of the text in Revelation 20:1-3 is that Satan is bound in the millennial kingdom. It follows, therefore, that amillennial teaching is that Satan is currently bound during this present age. As I look at the history of the Church age, what amillennialists consider the millennial kingdom, I do not see evidence that Satan is in anyway bound. The twentieth century alone can attest to the very fact he is free to roam the earth. So what does Scripture actually say about whether Satan is currently bound as Revelation attests to in the millennial kingdom.
1 Peter 5:8-9
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
2 Corinthians 4:4 – Paul in this passage refers to Satan as the “god of this age”.
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Ephesians 6:10-17 – In this passage it seems Paul didn’t get the memo about Satan being bound.
The Armor of God
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
1 Thessalonians 2:18 – Paul continues to just not get it.
“For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way.”
These passages do not depict a being who has been bound and shut up in a pit. Jesus’ casting out of demons in Matthew 12:22-29 is evidence that He had the authority to bind Satan. But as the multiple New Testament texts have already affirmed, this binding did not take place at Christ’s first coming. With the aforementioned Scriptures clearly defining that Satan is loose in the Church age it becomes clear that the Millennial Age is not upon us.
For a more thorough study of this please follow the link below.
Is Satan Bound Today? by Michael J. Vlach, Ph.D. a Professor of Theology at The Master’s Seminary in Sun Valley, California
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