Crushing the Serpent's Head - Satan Abyssed

 What, then, is in store for Satan himself and his demons?  John tells us:  "And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven with the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.  And he seized the dragon, the original serperntm who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.  And he hurled him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him, that he might not mislead the nations anymore until the thousand years ere ended.  After these things he must be let loose for a little while." - REVELATION 20:1-3.

Who is this angel?  He must have tremendous power to be able to dispose of Jehovah's arch enemy. He has the "key of the abyss adn a great chain."  Does this not remind us of an earlier vision?  Why, yes, the king over the locusts is called  "the angel of the abyss"!   (Revelation 9:11)   So here we go again observe Jehovah's Chief Vindicator, the glorified Jesus Christ, in action. This archangel that cast Satan out of heavenm that judged Babylon the Great, and that disposed of "the kings of the earth ad their armies" at Armageddon would surely not step aside to let a lesser angel deliver the masterstroke in abyssing Satan! - REVELATION 12:7-9; 18:1, 2; 19:11-21. 

When the great fiery-colored dragon was hurled down from heaven, he was spoken of as  "the original serpent, the one called Satan and Devil, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth."  (Revelation 12:3, 9)  Now, at the point of being seized and abyssed, he is described again in full as "the dragon, the original serpent, who is the Devil and Satan."  This infamous devourer, deceiver, slanderer, and opposer is chained and hurled  "into the abyss," which is closed and sealed off tightly, "that he might not mislead the nations anymore."  This abyssing of Satan for a thousand years, during which time his influence on mankind will be no more than that of a prisoner in a deep dungeon. The angel of the abyss removes Satan completely from any contact with the Kingdom of righteousness. What a relief for mankind!  

What happens to the demons?  They too have been " for reserved for judgment."  (2 Peter 2:4) Satan is called "Beelzebub the ruler of the demons." (Luke 11:15, 18; Matthew 10:25)  In view of their longtime collaboration with Satan, should not the same judgment by meted out to them?  The abyss has long been an object fear to those demons; on one occasion when Jesus confronted them,  they"kept entreating him  not to order them to go away into the abyss." (Luke 8:31)  But when Satan is abyssed, his angels will surely be hurled into the abyss with him.   (Compare Isaiah24:21, 22.)   After the abyssing of Satan  and his demons, the Thousand Year Reign of Jesus Christ can begin.

Will Sata and his demons be active while in the abyss?  Well, remember the scarlet-colored wild beast that "was, but is not, and yet is about to ascend out of the abyss." (Revelation 17:8) While in the abyss, it 'was not.'  It was nonfunctioning, immobolized, to all intents and purposes dead.  Likewise, speaking of Jesus, the apostle Paul said:  "Who will descend into the abyss?'  that is, to bring Christ up from the dead." ( Romans 10:7) While in tat abyss, Jesus was dead.  It is reasonable to conclude, thenm that Satan and his demons will be in a stateof deathlike inactivity for the thousand years of their abyssing.  What good tidings for lovers of righteousness!

Next time: Crushing the Serpent's Head - Judges for a Thousand Years

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