Living In The Omega Generation

“Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty…” (Psalm 90:10).

Less than two months ago, I reached my 70^th birthday, with 70 years as one of the two time spans that fits the Biblical definition of a generation; the other … 100 years (see Genesis 15:12-16). If you think about it, those segments of time accurately define the longevity of most people on this planet; unless a person succumbs to an untimely or premature death from illness, through war, or by an accident. A few live to be one-hundred, or even longer.

Currently, the oldest person in the world is an Italian woman, Emma Marano, at 116 years of age. On November 29^th, she will turn 117, the only person alive to have been born in the 1800s (1899)!

Jesus assigned the term generation to narrow down the time frame beginning with the “signs of the times.” He cited the “birth pains” leading to the Rapture of all believers followed by the seven-year Tribulation, culminating in his glorious return to bring justice and peace to this wicked, weary world in which we live.

In Eye of Prophecy articles, Look Up, Redemption is Near Part I & II (posted 7-11 & 7-18-15), I’ve listed and summarized twelve significant events or ongoing developments in the last one hundred years (especially in the past seventy years) that are fulfillment of Biblical prophecies. Such as:

World Wars, Rebirth of Israel, Recapture of Jerusalem, Exponential Increase in Natural Disasters, False Messiahs, Unequaled Increase in Quantity and Speed of Transportation and Information, and others.

There’s another phenomenon that has taken place in this 70-year and 100-year generational period of time. It is global preoccupation with the supernatural, the paranormal, the occult, and the mystical—anything and everything that the mind and heart of man can imagine, fantasize, or conjure. Virtually nothing is off limits.

Books on the supernatural have been around for centuries, but nowhere near the number published in the past few decades. Then came horror movies in the 1930s and 1940s depicting otherworldly creatures such as Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Wolf Man. They were scary at the time. But compared to subsequent films that have paraded the grotesque, the gory, the gruesome, and the ghastly—tormenting, terrifying, and also slaughtering unsuspecting victims by human and inhuman monsters of all types—the original horror movies were no more frightening than Alice in Wonderland. Off with her head!

Beginning primarily in the 1950s, extraterrestrials, both bad and good, came to visit us. As if planet earth didn’t have enough problems, we also had to do battle with oversized mutated reptiles, insects, and birds! Currently, films with an apocalyptic end-of-the-world plot are plentiful. Fortunately, planet earth is saved again and again by genius scientists, brave warriors, and one coalition after another of superheroes!

On the more serious side, in the past fifty years or so, a new genre of horror films and television productions have flooded the big screen and little screen with the speed of light … the light of cameras, film, and projectors. The emphasis was more on satanic or demonic beings that either possess humans or take on some type of macabre physical form to intimidate, violate, and kill innocent people.

In what was one of the earliest and definitive prototype movies of its kind, an embodied Satan spawns a child by raping a woman. I’m referring to the film released in 1967, Rosemary’s Baby; with Mia Farrow (as the violated woman), John Cassavetes, Ralph Bellamy, and Ruth Gordon—who won a best supporting actress for her performance. In 2014, this movie was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. Reasons given for this honor: the film’s, “culturally, historically or aesthetically significance.”

This movie generated other less well-known films that focused almost exclusively on Satan and Satan worship, such as, The Brotherhood of Satan.

Later, came The Exorcist in 1973.

Then another box-office smash, The Omen; this time concentrating on the Antichrist and his infamous number, 666. Released in 1976 it featured Gregory Peck and Lee Remick, whose adopted child, Damien, wasn’t just bred by Satan. He was actually the Antichrist. Three more Omen movies followed the original.

Several TV shows are currently carrying this ghoulish torch of the paranormal, such as The Walking Dead and Salem.

Dozens, if not hundreds, of novels, films, and television shows and documentaries about Satan, demons, and the powers of darkness have been released during the last 70 years. Across the board, they are Biblically inaccurate and scripturally illiterate. Nevertheless, Rosemary’s Baby is somewhat on point concerning the ancient cohabitation of fallen angels with women on the earth before Noah’s Flood. In part, this was covered in last week’s article. As indicated, this unholy, depraved breeding was abruptly halted when the fallen angels were imprisoned in the Abyss.

No matter the degree of fantasy found in Hollywood or televised productions, the intriguing fact remains that the 20^th & 21^st centuries have seen an unprecedented rise in the portrayal of the supernatural, made progressively more fantastic through special effects. This includes many depictions of demons and Satan, himself, in a material visible body.

Writers, producers, directors, and actors are inadvertently grooming hundreds of millions left behind at the Rapture to view the paranormal as normal, the supernatural as natural, and the spiritual as physical. And also to prepare unbelievers to accept what so many the world over sadly don’t believe now: Resurrection from the Dead. (Not reincarnation … there is no such thing. Rather, resurrection/transformation of the same body).

Instead of believing and, thereby, giving their loyalty and life to the true risen Messiah, Jesus; they will embrace a Roman Emperor (Nero) in what they perceive is his miraculous return from the grave. They will ignore or reject the real evidence prophesied 2000 years ago by John that their “superman” actually returns from the Abyss; having been struck down in his (perverted) prime of life by Christ. Then revived by the Lord and confined to the Abyss awaiting the time God when would release him. At about this same time, Satan will be permanently thrown down to earth in his real and tangible body, and will immediately extend his power and authority to Nero.

(Bust of Nero)

Restating the Premise

Let’s continue our study by restating a startling premise from last week’s Part I article; one that a hundred years ago or even seventy years past would have been considered incredible. In fact, the Biblical evidence to support this premise is still misunderstood, minimized, or not known even by many Christians. Here is the premise (quote) from last week’s Eye of Prophecy article:

In addition to the amazing (in the eyes of unbelievers) return of Nero in his original body, both angels and demons will be seen in their actual bodies by the entire Tribulation world. And not only angels and demons; Satan, himself, will appear on the earth in bodily form. Hundreds of million the world over will be stunned by these “signs and miracles” They will worship what they see … the Beast (Nero), a statue of him that actually speaks, and the embodied Satan.

Last week we focused on the Antichrist beast (Nero), fallen angels (demons) and good angels. We also examined Biblical passages that dealt with this most evil of all beings as Lucifer, the original name given to him. After expulsion from his heavenly residence and lofty position as one of the highest ranking angels created by God, he is called Satan, the Devil, and in Revelation, the Dragon.

It’s the appellation of “dragon” that will demonstrate and confirm the above stated premise: During the Great Tribulation, Satan will be confined to and observed in his corrupted, distorted, altered physical form of what was long ago, “full of wisdom and exquisite in beauty” (Ezekiel 28:12).

Lucifer, Satan, the Devil, and the Dragon

Before we get to Lucifer as the dragon, let’s look at his other names … Satan and the devil.

Satan:

“One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. ‘Where have you come from?’ the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, ‘I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on’” (Job 1:6-7).

The first two chapters of Job, indeed, these two verses tell us volumes about Satan—his sphere of influence, meaning of his name, and what God allows him to do or not to do.

The Accuser:

His very name, Satan, means accuser. In fact, he is the Accuser or the Satan. He accuses anyone and everyone who truly searches after the true and living God, especially believers in Messiah Jesus.

Beginning with Adam and Eve, Satan’s personal and primary purpose concerning the human race is to tempt us to disobey God, do our own thing, and go our own way … arrogantly or apathetically independent of our Creator and Savior. He even tempted Messiah Jesus to prove to Satan and the whole world that Jesus was the Son of God. But in order to do so (at that time), Jesus had to submit to Satan, agree to his demands, and even worship him. Our Lord would have none of that.

Here is an excerpt from my book, Out of the Abyss (in italics):

Yet, it was the temptation scene that dealt the first Messianic blow to Satan’s plans, because that was the devil’s first opportunity to create an antichrist right then and there; to, in one fell swoop, twist and turn the true Messiah into Satan’s messiah.

Eternal praise to our God and his Messiah that this did not happen! All glory to Yeshua who did not send a legion of angels to annihilate those who had arrested him in the garden! Everlasting gratitude to our Lord for not saying I’ve had enough, and stepping down from the cross. All power and dominion to the Son of Man for arising from the grave and conquering death once and for all! (Page 219).

The prophet Zechariah records another incident in which Satan attempts to discredit the Jewish high priest (following the return of Jewish exiles from Babylon) as God’s choice to restore the sacrificial system of the rebuilt Temple. In this spectacular scene, we see a Pre-Incarnate appearance of Messiah Jesus and Jeshua, a type of all believers who would become priests (see I Peter 2) under the amazing New Covenant that would begin with Jesus some four hundred years later. Satan is also with them, and (true to form) claims that Jeshua is sinful; thus, unworthy of God’s favor (grace), let alone Jeshua’s right standing with God.

Unlike Job, whom God allowed Satan to test and torment—as all believers are to some extent or another—this time the Lord flatly rejects Satan’s indictments against a man whose sins would be forgiven (right in front of Satan). This is an extraordinary example of all who would be clothed with God’s righteousness when they believe and receive the Lord Jesus Christ. Whereas the Lord allows Satan to accuse believers after they are “born again,” he does not permit Satan to disqualify anyone from receiving their new birth in Messiah Jesus. No matter how sinfully bad anyone has been, there is no one beyond the Lord’s reach when it comes to redemption and the gift of eternal life. All anyone need do is to believe and receive Jesus as their personal Savior.

“Then the angel showed me Jeshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord. The Accuser, Satan, was there at the angel’s right hand, making accusations against Jeshua. And the Lord said to Satan, ‘I, the Lord, reject your accusation, Satan’ … Jeshua’s clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. So the angel said to the others standing there, ‘Take off his filthy clothes.’ And turning to Jeshua he said, ‘See, I have taken away your sins, and now I’m giving you these fine new clothes’” (Zechariah 3:1-4).

Satan’s Dwelling Place in the Universe:

Improbable as it may seem, God allows Satan access to heavenly places, including high level counsels called by the Lord himself. Here is another except from Out of the Abyss:

From the account in Job, it’s evident that Satan only appears personally before God periodically, with the clear implication that God chooses when to allow Satan to stand before him. Satan can only be in one place at a time, therefore, he isn’t in God’s face every time he accuses believers in Christ. Note that God ask Satan where he came from to attend this high level conference. Satan replied, “I’ve been patrolling the earth…”

We know that God knew this. What we have here is a rhetorical question tantamount to a divine jab at Satan. God simply reminded Satan that God had foreclosed on Satan’s dwelling place in heaven. But when God asks a question, even Lucifer is obligated to answer. I’m thinking that Satan cringed when he was forced to reply. He probably thought, okay, you don’t have to rub it in … I know my place in the universe.

But Satan has enough pride to fill all the oceans; thus, I’m equally certain that Satan boasted when he said that he had been patrolling the earth, watching everything that goes on. This was nothing more than a mockery of God, who, as Scripture tells us, also watches everything that happens on the earth. It’s another example of Satan imitating God, which demonstrated Satan’s distorted unattainable goal: to be like the Most High God (Page 221).

(Depiction of Job and His Friends)

The Devil:

In the New Testament Satan is also called the devil. There are at least two reasons for this: (1) what the term devil means as we will shortly see. (2) Satan (the devil) and his demons became vastly more active during Jesus’s time on earth since Noah’s Flood, or will again until the Great Tribulation.

His infamous title of devil is more of a generic term relating to the meaning of the word, originally from the Greek, diabolos. Which, according to Webster’s Dictionary means: “slanderer … often used as an interjection, an intensive, or a generalized term of abuse.” That is the definition of devil in the generalized, lower case. Whereas, The Devil is a characterization of Satan as, “…the personal supreme spirit of evil … the leader of all apostate angels ….”

More than anything else, devil depicts and defines Satan’s character … deceiver, liar, murderer, and hater (of all that is right and good); and any number of other appalling traits that a being who is pure evil can and will display.

Referring to Satan as the devil, Jesus said: “…He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

Paul writes to the Ephesian believers reminding them that before God adopted them into his family and gave them an everlasting spiritual (salvation) and physical (literally in heaven) inheritance through Christ Jesus:

“Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loves us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:1-6, parenthesis in the text itself).

The Dragon:

As proposed in last week’s Eye of Prophecy article: Just as the Antichrist is also called the man of lawlessness and the beast, so is it important to recognize that the various names of Satan throughout Scripture are given for a reason. With both Antichrist and Satan, their different titles tell us what they have done, when, and why. And also when they will continue to do what they do best (worst) during the last days that will lead to their final destruction.

As most people know, the Bible’s first introduction to Lucifer (his designated name before he rebelled against God and was evicted from his heavenly dwelling) was that of “serpent.” But don’t think of a snake. A snake is what the serpent would become after God cursed it … a lowly loathsome creature reduced to crawling on its belly; far removed from, “…the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made…” (Genesis 3:1).

Undoubtedly, the Garden of Eden serpent was as or more beautiful than all of the animals. Not only that, the serpent could talk! Moreover, neither Eve nor Adam were at all shocked or even surprised that the serpent could speak. Most likely that’s why Satan chose the serpent to appear before Eve and to (successfully) persuade her to disobey God.

God cursed the serpent first … then Eve, then Adam. God’s judgment was not only against the physical body/form of the serpent, but also included the Lord’s magnificent plan of the ages for mankind and inevitable destruction of Satan and his wicked forces of fallen angels. Right there in the Garden of Eden, the Lord announced his plan of redemption to Adam and Eve that would include Messiah’s ultimate triumph over Satan, even though the serpent would strike first.

“And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15).

Soon, we will learn the identity of the woman, who/which is much more than just a reference to Eve, the woman (mother) of all human beings thereafter.

The expose of Satan as the dragon in the book of Revelation is probably the greatest irony of all time. It will give a whole new meaning to, “justice is served.”

To restate the earlier mentioned premise, based on what I see as crystal clear evidence in Scripture: During the Tribulation, Satan will appear in bodily form.

He will most likely often stay in the background out of sight, probably due to his shocking appearance; while granting power and authority to his Anti- Christ, the revived Roman Emperor Nero. The very fact of Satan’s visible presence will be a shocking experience for people the world over. Shocking could, but not necessarily, mean appalling. It could also relate to a synonym of shocking … that of stunning or spectacular.

Before we examine the Bible passages to confirm Satan’s total banishment to earth as “the dragon,” let’s state in summary fashion what this justifiable irony is and how it will come full circle to haunt Satan forever.

As alluded, God allowed Satan to appear to Eve as the serpent. This most clever of all animals was likely the most alluring and striking in appearance. However, the very fact that Satan did not appear in his originally created dazzling form as a “model of perfection” is because he couldn’t appear like that. Reason: Either God forbade it or Lucifer had lost (been stripped of) his “exquisite beauty” in which he was created. (Ezekiel 28).

Either way, Satan chose the serpent through which to deceive Eve and Adam; thereby, infecting the entire human race with the ugliness of sin and the sure penalty thereof … death, both physical and spiritual.

For emphasis, I will italicize the following conclusion:

Satan as the serpent signaled the end of the beginning for this once mighty cherub.

God will allow Satan one last chance to prove that he is greater than God; that Satan’s anti-Messiah is superior to the true Messiah. And God will provide like never before, one last chance for people the world over to choose everlasting life over perpetual death (separation from God).

But the last day’s scenario will be different in two ways: (1) this will be God’s final direct and massive intervention (judgment) in the affairs of the human race. (2) Accordingly, he will restrict Satan and his man of sin to a limited time (7 years total, 3 ½ years of concentrated mayhem) to wreak havoc on the earth. Also, Satan will have no choice but to appear and function in his fallen form. He will, in fact, be forced to arrive on earth in his actual spiritual body. Furthermore, we’re told what his form will be. It will be like that of a dragon, commensurate with his initial appearance to mankind as the serpent.

With equal emphasis: As the dragon it will be the beginning of the end for Satan.

It will be full circle from his initial appearance to the human race in bodily form as the serpent to his final manifestation as the dragon.

*Note: Time/space doesn’t permit elaboration on the details of Satan’s dragon-like appearance during the tribulation; plus it would be too much speculation. Except to say that we probably shouldn’t visualize dragons depicted in literature, paintings, and film. I’m referring to fire-breathing creatures with horns, scales, tails, and the like. A dragon is the best imagery that John of Revelation could convey, given his (all of us) limited language and imagination. Exactly what Satan’s dragon-like features will be … well, the post-Rapture world will find out soon enough.

(Fairly Typical Depiction of Satan as a Dragon, But with More Human Features)

With some spiritual speculation, in general terms I personally envision “the dragon” as a blemished, adulterated, scarred (from evil), and darkened, more “shocking” version of his original angelic splendor. In that regard, John’s use of the term dragon is that of illustrative imagery. It conveys a correlation between Satan’s initial arrival on the earth as the serpent and a dragon-like creature portrayed by writers and artists and tellers of tales for thousands of years as man’s worst nightmare.

Satan Embodied in the Descriptive Form of a Dragon

Most of the book of Revelation is obviously about the future, i.e. amazing descriptions of the Great Tribulation, Millennial reign of Christ, and eternity. But it is not entirely future tense. Chapters 1-3 are exclusively present and past tense, as is the first part of Chapter 4 which is a preview of the Rapture when John is caught up to heaven. The first part of Chapter 12 and Chapter 17:7-11 describe past events; with the passage in Chapter 17 disclosing the astonishing fact that the Antichrist beast had already lived and died, but would return from the Abyss (at the outset of the Tribulation period).

In Revelation Chapters 2 & 3, Jesus refers to Satan four times in his messages to the seven churches in existence during the first century. Thereafter in Revelation, Satan is identified as a dragon and even “the dragon.” When the term Satan is used in Chapters 12 and 20, it is to make sure the reader identifies the dragon as Satan, the Devil. We’ll get to that shortly.

Up to that point in the Bible, Satan had never been called a dragon. Why, then, is Satan referred to as a dragon in Revelation Chapters 12, 13, 16, and 20?

Answer: To convey, clarify, and confirm to the reader that Satan (like all “spiritual” beings) has a body, and that he will be visibly seen in that (now distorted) figure by many during the Tribulation. This is equivalent to the Antichrist described as a beast in Revelation; the beast represents a man (Nero) returning from the grave in his original body.

Revelation Chapters 4 through 11 are pretty much chronological, including the seven seal and trumpet judgments. Whereas, Chapter 12 is what we call a parenthetical chapter—set aside as an interlude to relay both past and future contextually connected information to the reader.

“Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant, and she cried out because of her labor pains and the agony of giving birth” (Revelation 12:1-2).

Many Bible scholars, including me, agree that the woman is Israel, giving birth to the Messiah. This is the same woman mentioned in Genesis 3 whose offspring would crush Satan and his kingdom. None other than Messiah Jesus, from the tribe of Judah and from the lineage of King David.

Next comes John’s first vision of Satan as the dragon.

“Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth. He stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born” (Verses 3-4).

Satan had long ago been evicted from his heavenly dwelling and took one-third of the angels with him. This occurred even before Adam and Eve were created.

Continuing in Verse 5: “She gave birth to a son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne.”

Again, this had already taken place when Jesus was born, lived, died, rose again from the dead, then ascended to heaven prior to John’s vision as recorded in Revelation.

The scene then fast forwards to the Tribulation days. “And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days” (Verse 6).

Next is the stunning event seen by John that would also take place in the future Tribulation.

“Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels. Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, ‘It has come at last—salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night’” (Revelation 12:7-10, italics for emphasis).

(Depiction of Michael and Satan at War)

Note that John makes sure the reader understands that the “great dragon” is the ancient serpent of Genesis … “called the devil, or Satan…” Serpent and dragon are who and what he is: an angelic turned demonic (spirit) being unseen during his heyday as prince of the power of the air. Yet he will be permanently thrown down to the earth in our earthly space and time dimension as a corporal, tangible, visible being.

Putting it another way: If the dragon wasn’t a real embodied being, then there’s no reason whatsoever for John to see and use the term dragon. He would have exclusively employed the name, Satan or the devil.

Satan Confined to the Earth

When does this “war in heaven” take place? When are Satan and his fallen angels “thrown down to earth?”

I firmly believe this will take place just before the stupendous Rapture of believers.

Why?

Because believers in Christ will be taken to heaven at the Rapture with our new resurrected (the dead in Christ) and transfigured (those in Christ alive on the earth) everlasting bodies. Satan will no longer be allowed in heaven to accuse believers, certainly not face to face which would be the case if his access to heaven continued after the Rapture. The timing of this war in heaven and Satan’s total banishment to the earth is confirmed by the verse following his irrevocable expulsion from heaven.

“It has come at last—salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God” (Verse 10). This is a sweeping pronouncement encompassing the Day of the Lord, applicable to the entire span of the Tribulation period and beyond.

“When the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child” (Revelation 12:13).

Satan’s realization is much more than knowing he’s now on planet earth. That will be obvious to him. What Scripture is telling us here is that Satan will fully comprehend that not only has he been permanently confined to the earth (no more access to heavenly places), but that he also is irreversibly restricted to earthbound space and time in bodily form (the dragon).

That will make the dragon furious, and he will unleash his fury against Israel and the Tribulation saints.

“And the dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children—all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus” (Revelation 12:17).

Well, we know who wins, don’t we!

At the final battle of Armageddon, the Antichrist Beast and the False Prophet are captured and thrown alive into the Lake of Fire. Their armies are completely destroyed by Messiah Jesus.

Let’s see what happens to Satan (the dragon).

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. He seized the dragon—that old serpent, who is the devil, Satan—and bound him in chains for a thousand years. The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterward he must be released for a little while” (Revelation 20:1-3).

(Depiction of the Real Angel Who Will Bind Satan With a Real Chain)

For emphatic corroboration, this is the second time John is telling us that Satan (as the dragon) will be seen and dealt with in bodily form. There is nothing metaphorical going on in Revelation Chapter 20. Contrary to what most people think: relative to the amount of content and length of the book, there is not that much nonliteral imagery in Revelation.

The thousand years is a thousand years.

An angel “seizes” the dragon. As in a literal capturing, grabbing, holding, and clutching the dragon.

The bottomless pit is a real place, under lock and key.

The chains that will bind the dragon are “heavy.” There is absolutely no literary need to describe an allegorical chain as heavy. If it’s symbolic, it doesn’t matter whether the chain is heavy or light.

To be in heaven you need a “heavenly body.” (See I Corinthians 15). That includes the good angels; Jesus, himself, because he returned to heaven in a glorified body, but a human body nevertheless; and all believers in Christ in our transformed bodies.

So, too, with the fallen angels, including Satan their chief. When Satan is thrown down to the earth (for all time), he will no longer have the capability to roam the “unseen world” or heavenly places. He will be limited to time/space on earth in what will be an earthly body … subject to earthly dimensions.

But, then, isn’t that how Satan first introduced himself to mankind? Such divine irony don’t you think? After the Tribulation he will be kept in the Abyss under the earth in solitary confinement. The only one he will be able to tempt is himself. Perhaps he will tempt himself to repent and acknowledge God as God, his Creator?

Nah! That’s not going to happen! See Revelation 20:7-10 for the rest of the story.

Things to Ponder

“Then I saw in heaven another marvelous event of great significance. Seven angels were holding the seven last plagues, which would bring God’s wrath to completion. I saw before me what seemed to be a glass sea mixed with fire. And on it stood all the people who had been victorious over the beast and his statue and the number representing his name … And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:

‘Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name! For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed’” (Revelation 15:1-4).

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised!