Remain

DEVOTION

THE REVELATION

REMAIN

Rev 20:7-10

7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth — Gog and Magog — to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

NIV

Although there has been peace on earth for a thousand years and the powers of Satan have been kept from influencing any wickedness on mankind, he is set loose for a period of time. As we have thought before and stated so, God does not desire his creation to be mindless followers, but to choose to love him and follow his commands. Without the temptations and influence of Satan man would not have that choice. But John also tells us that Satan does indeed deceive the nations all over the earth and gathers a great number of people who will oppose God with all their strength. They will not only oppose God, but think their power is great enough to attack the church, attack Christianity with violent force. Surely we see various attacks today against Christianity around the world and even to some extent in our own country, but our own government. But this is just a small action compared to what will happen during this attempt by Satan. This will appear to be an attempt to make an all-out war on Christianity.  It is his last ditch effort to win, but he will lose. There is no one greater than God. The bothersome idea that even after a thousand years of peace under the rule of Christ, with all the blessings upon mankind that he brings with his authority, there appears to be millions of people who will once again be deceived by Satan. Is it that he appeals to the base wickedness of man’s heart? We have seen this scene once before prior to the flood.

Gen 6:5

5 The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.

NIV

It is troublesome to think that people, especially after experiencing such a blessed life under the authority of Jesus would be deceived and turn against God. Is it possible in our day and age? If it is true that we all have an inclination toward evil all of the time, and it would appear we may be no different than any other person who has ever lived or will live, we need to be especially careful not to allow Satan to deceive us in any way. His schemes are extremely devious and we might think certain behaviors or beliefs are permitted, or at least excused because, after all we are human. In the final analysis, all sin is against God. If we are content to live with a certain amount of sin in our lives, have we been deceived by Satan? True we are not going to join in a force to engage in an all-out war on God, on Christianity, as this passage pictures. But nevertheless we can see the deceptive schemes of Satan at work in our own lives, even though we profess to love God with all our heart, our mind, our soul and our strength. The fact is he is a lair, he never has ever told the truth. Anything he attempts to tempt us with is a lie, an untruth. In the end he will meet with destruction. His power to tempt will be utterly sealed up forever, as he will be cast into the lake of burning sulfur. Now whether this is an actual burning lake or a place of extreme heat, or simple a type of confinement created by God for the Beast, the false prophet and Satan, they will be bound forever without the ability to have any contact or influence on mankind ever again. Or it might just be a burning lake of sulfur where they will not burn up, but be in torment of the flames for all eternity. Either way it matters not, as we will not have to worry about this lake or place where they are in torment. We will not give up our belief in God, in Jesus Christ for any cause, even though our heart might be bent toward evil thoughts. We understand this bentness, this propensity for sin, for evil, if not in our actions, in our thoughts. Of course we have to be all inclusive about what is sin, what is considered evil in the sight of God. Most of us focus on immorality issues when we think of sin. Some of us focus legal issues, living under the law, so to speak. But fewer Christians ever focus on material issues, the desire for things or money itself. Every aspect of our lives are subject to review. We need to see how deceitful his schemes really are and make sure we remain focused on God. He is our salvation. He is the only truth. Although we will have already been with our Lord riding on our own white horse and coming back to earth to rule and reign with him for one thousand years, there will once again be people who will attempt to destroy any sense of God. But the end is already written and they will lose and lose big time. We need to forever stay on the side of God. When we do fail him, when we do allow sin into our thoughts or even in our behavior we need to repent, to seek forgiveness.

1 John 1:8-10

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

NIV

So let us remain in Christ.