Irrefutable biblical proof that death is abolished at the second coming

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Truthnightmare

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Past tense! Michael has already contended with the devil, casting him and his demonic hosts out of heaven, binding them to this earth. Since the first advent of Christ, the devil can no longer argue before God against the body of Moses or any other of the saints of Christ, because we are eternally with our Saviour, and not even physical death shall separate us from the love of God through Christ.

We learn the short time Satan had from the time he and his demonic hosts were cast out of heaven to the cross of Christ came to an end as Christ and His disciples began to cast out devils. This proves not only that the spiritual Kingdom of God has come, but also the power to hold people in bondage to fear of death is broken forever for whosoever hears the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and by grace through faith believes in Christ.

Matthew 12:28 (KJV) But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.

Hebrews 2:14-15 (KJV) Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
I see the timeline much different…

Revelation 12:9-12
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren [satan/antichrist] is cast down [to the earth], which accused them before our God day and night [documenting that satan is held in Heaven].
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death [documenting Tribulation Martyrs].
12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. KJV​
Carrying on the above Scripture, we see that satan (dragon/serpent/antichrist/etc.), when cast out, attacks the remnant for a time times and half time:​
Revelation 12:13-17
13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. KJV​

Revelation 12:6
6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. KJV​
Immediately after the above 42 months (1260 days), satan/antichrist/etc. is cast out for his (assumed 5) months reign:​
Revelation 12:7-9
7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. KJV​
And then the above Scripture leads into the one posted above first, which mentions the time times and half time. So, the above Scripture, representing the persecutions in the first part of the Tribulation, happens before satan arrives here in person for the second part of the Tribulation.
In other words, Revelation chapter twelve covers BOTH PARTS of the Tribulation, and draws distinction between them both; i.e., 1260 days (42 Mo.) for the first, and time times and half (5 Mo. [shortened from Daniel's 3½ years by Christ in Mat 24:22) for the second.
Also, observe that satan-antichrist is cast out at the same time as the fallen angels:​
Revelation 12:9
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. KJV​
Moving to Revelation chapter nine, we see that these fallen angels (locust army) have five months time to work their works:​
Revelation 9:5
5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. KJV​
And this same locust army/fallen angels mentioned again:​
Revelation 9:10
10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. KJV​
We also see that satan/antichrist's time is concurrent with (running along with) the locust army/fallen angels:​
Revelation 9:10-12
10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
12 One woe is past [Fifth Trump]; and, behold, there come two woes more [6th & 7th Trumps] hereafter. KJV​
In verse 12 above we see that this all happens (satan and his angels arriving) in the Fifth Trump, :​
Revelation 9:12
12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. KJV​
There are three of the Trumps that are referred to as the "Woe Trumps," those being the fifth. sixth, and seventh. Therefore, the "one woe" that is "past" in the above is Fifth Trump, the remaining "two woes more hereafter" are the Sixth and Seventh Trumps.​
Revelation 8:12-13
12 And the fourth angel sounded [Forth Trump], and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe [1], woe [2], woe [3], to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels [5th, 6th, 7th Trumps], which are yet to sound! KJV​
 

Timtofly

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There are multiple New Testament Scriptures to support the Amil position and the current binding of Satan. You must sidestep all these to sustain your own argument. Premil on the other hand has zero corroboration for its theory. That is damning for the doctrine. Scripture proves Satan was spiritually bound in spiritual chains (Matthew 12:22-29, Mark 3:11, 23-27, Luke 10:18-19, Luke 11:20-22), and negates Premil. 2 Peter 2:4, Jude v 6, Revelation 9 and Revelation 20 all prove the whole demonic realm is currently restrained from stopping the free-flow of the Gospel. Revelation 9 also describes an abyss that is full of wicked spirits that are restrained, but will be released prior to the second coming for a short season.
You cannot use 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6 nor Revelation 9 to prove Satan is bound. That binding happened before the Flood if not before Adam, himself disobeyed God. Satan has not been bound for 5,000+ years of human history.

Demonic forces is what exactly? Humans behaving bad spiritually?

When was demon possession ever completely stopped? And that has nothing to do with Satan nor angels.

Angels are fiery spirit/pneuma. Being a star is their job. Stars make light via burning gasses.

Demonic spirits are not from angels, because those rebel angels have been bound in chains of darkness, for way longer than the first century, and have not been loosed, because we would know about it along with the other 6 Trumpets sounding. They certainly are not loosed at the end of the Millennium.

Demonic spirits are the spirits of dead humans. Probably some living humans depending on their state of reprobation according to Romans 1.

Jesus asking a comparison question about a kingdom and a strong man does not change the chronological order of Revelation 19 and Revelation 20. And still, you have yet to show a little season happening any time prior to the Day of the Lord.

Satan is not bound, because humans are still in a state of death, and neither binding Satan nor letting him loose can change the punishment of sin on all of humanity. Humans have not had the deception of Satan in the Garden resolved yet. The deception in Revelation 20 is a totally different deception.

Your claim is that Satan hinders the spread of the Gospel. Well sin does that as well. Humans deceiving themselves hinders the Gospel from going to the lost. Disobedience to God hinders the Gospel. The reason the light was hid in the OT is because the work of the Messiah had not been accomplished. They were looking for a promise given by God through humans. At least after the physical appearance of God on earth, people were without excuse. But after a while people stopped accepting even the historical account of Jesus.

The binding of Satan at the battle of Armageddon is for one purpose and that is to remove all influences Satan has with humanity. What was started in the Garden was brought to an end at the 7th Trumpet/Armageddon if necessary. So any time left for Satan would be after the Day of the Lord. Satan would not have any freedom, influence, nor access while bound. Your view still grants him too much leniency. Because obviously sin is still holding this world in the bondage of corruption as well.
 

WPM

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You cannot use 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6 nor Revelation 9 to prove Satan is bound. That binding happened before the Flood if not before Adam, himself disobeyed God. Satan has not been bound for 5,000+ years of human history.

Demonic forces is what exactly? Humans behaving bad spiritually?

When was demon possession ever completely stopped? And that has nothing to do with Satan nor angels.

Angels are fiery spirit/pneuma. Being a star is their job. Stars make light via burning gasses.

Demonic spirits are not from angels, because those rebel angels have been bound in chains of darkness, for way longer than the first century, and have not been loosed, because we would know about it along with the other 6 Trumpets sounding. They certainly are not loosed at the end of the Millennium.

Demonic spirits are the spirits of dead humans. Probably some living humans depending on their state of reprobation according to Romans 1.

Jesus asking a comparison question about a kingdom and a strong man does not change the chronological order of Revelation 19 and Revelation 20. And still, you have yet to show a little season happening any time prior to the Day of the Lord.

Where does it say that "2 Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6 nor Revelation 9 ... happened before the Flood"? You keep making statements like this up without presenting any hard evidence to support it. What you are submitting is just your own private interpretation. Isn't it interesting that the demonic occupants of the abyss are all released before the last trumpet in Revelation 9? That reinforces the Amil thesis.

Satan is not bound, because humans are still in a state of death, and neither binding Satan nor letting him loose can change the punishment of sin on all of humanity. Humans have not had the deception of Satan in the Garden resolved yet. The deception in Revelation 20 is a totally different deception.

Your claim is that Satan hinders the spread of the Gospel. Well sin does that as well. Humans deceiving themselves hinders the Gospel from going to the lost. Disobedience to God hinders the Gospel. The reason the light was hid in the OT is because the work of the Messiah had not been accomplished. They were looking for a promise given by God through humans. At least after the physical appearance of God on earth, people were without excuse. But after a while people stopped accepting even the historical account of Jesus.

The binding of Satan at the battle of Armageddon is for one purpose and that is to remove all influences Satan has with humanity. What was started in the Garden was brought to an end at the 7th Trumpet/Armageddon if necessary. So any time left for Satan would be after the Day of the Lord. Satan would not have any freedom, influence, nor access while bound. Your view still grants him too much leniency. Because obviously sin is still holding this world in the bondage of corruption as well.

Death and the grave have been wholly conquered. Satan can no longer keep people in the bondage of death. Christ has defeated death. When someone encounters Christ they experience eternal life, and they shall never die. When Jesus comes the last vestige of death - physical death - is banished forever.

2 Corinthians 1:9-10 tells us: "we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth [Gr. egeiro] the dead: Who delivered us (past tense) from so great a death, and doth deliver (present tense): in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us (future tense)."

This whole passage is concentrated upon the great eternal provision of spiritual deliverance. The word “raiseth” in this reading is a present active verb, therefore it is talking about a resurrection that is happening now, rather than the future physical resurrection. This is obviously speaking of spiritual resurrection because it alone has been ongoing since Christ’s first (physical) resurrection. This will, of course, culminate with the general physical resurrection at His return.

Paul goes on then to emphasize the victorious ongoing hope that the risen saints have through salvation, regardless of what is arrayed against them. He is reminding the believer of the security that exists “in Christ.” Whilst justification is an act (when we are spiritually redeemed) and glorification also an act (when we are physically redeemed), sanctification is a process of making us more like Christ. In all three experiences Christ holds a firm grip upon His people. He looks after them, and sustains them along the way. Christ therefore has “delivered,” (past tense) “doth deliver” (currently) and “will yet deliver” (future tense).
 
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rwb

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I see the timeline much different…


Carrying on the above Scripture, we see that satan (dragon/serpent/antichrist/etc.), when cast out, attacks the remnant for a time times and half time:



Immediately after the above 42 months (1260 days), satan/antichrist/etc. is cast out for his (assumed 5) months reign:

And then the above Scripture leads into the one posted above first, which mentions the time times and half time. So, the above Scripture, representing the persecutions in the first part of the Tribulation, happens before satan arrives here in person for the second part of the Tribulation.
In other words, Revelation chapter twelve covers BOTH PARTS of the Tribulation, and draws distinction between them both; i.e., 1260 days (42 Mo.) for the first, and time times and half (5 Mo. [shortened from Daniel's 3½ years by Christ in Mat 24:22) for the second.
Also, observe that satan-antichrist is cast out at the same time as the fallen angels:

Moving to Revelation chapter nine, we see that these fallen angels (locust army) have five months time to work their works:

And this same locust army/fallen angels mentioned again:

We also see that satan/antichrist's time is concurrent with (running along with) the locust army/fallen angels:

In verse 12 above we see that this all happens (satan and his angels arriving) in the Fifth Trump, :

There are three of the Trumps that are referred to as the "Woe Trumps," those being the fifth. sixth, and seventh. Therefore, the "one woe" that is "past" in the above is Fifth Trump, the remaining "two woes more hereafter" are the Sixth and Seventh Trumps.​

From the moment he and his demonic angels are cast out of heaven great tribulation against the elect (remnant) of faithful saints began. Satan could not destroy the newborn Christ child. So, he went after believers (elect remnant) intending to kill them before the ministry of Christ through His appointed disciples could begin. The attack against Israel of God for a time times, and half a time does not end with the first century Jewish remnant elect. That's when the battle against Christ and His people (Church) began and will continue until the Kingdom of God in heaven is complete as the Gospel of the Kingdom of God goes out unto all the nations of the world.

Time given the Church for building the Kingdom of God in heaven is equally divided between time, times and half time as Satan and his demonic hosts are partly successful and the disciples of Christ are also partly successful. This same time is divided by 42 months and 1260 days. The time, times and dividing of time is reckoned 42 months for Satan as time when he and his minions make war against the saints of God and overcome them. The time reckoned 1260 days is given the Church (two witnesses) to build the Kingdom of God in heaven as they faithfully take the Gospel of the Kingdom into all the nations of the world.

When the demonic hosts of Satan come out of the pit for five months, they have no power over those who have the seal of God in their foreheads. For this short duration of time, however long it might literally be, they torment unbelievers that they will desire death rather than life because of the suffering that comes from the bottomless pit as locusts upon the earth.

Revelation 9:4 (KJV) And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
 

Timtofly

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Where does it say that "2 Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6 nor Revelation 9 ... happened before the Flood"? You keep making statements like this up without presenting any hard evidence to support it. What you are submitting is just your own private interpretation. Isn't it interesting that the demonic occupants of the abyss are all released before the last trumpet in Revelation 9? That reinforces the Amil thesis.



Death and the grave have been wholly conquered. Satan can no longer keep people in the bondage of death. Christ has defeated death. When someone encounters Christ they experience eternal life, and they shall never die. When Jesus comes the last vestige of death - physical death - is banished forever.

2 Corinthians 1:9-10 tells us: "we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth [Gr. egeiro] the dead: Who delivered us (past tense) from so great a death, and doth deliver (present tense): in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us (future tense)."

This whole passage is concentrated upon the great eternal provision of spiritual deliverance. The word “raiseth” in this reading is a present active verb, therefore it is talking about a resurrection that is happening now, rather than the future physical resurrection. This is obviously speaking of spiritual resurrection because it alone has been ongoing since Christ’s first (physical) resurrection. This will, of course, culminate with the general physical resurrection at His return.

Paul goes on then to emphasize the victorious ongoing hope that the risen saints have through salvation, regardless of what is arrayed against them. He is reminding the believer of the security that exists “in Christ.” Whilst justification is an act (when we are spiritually redeemed) and glorification also an act (when we are physically redeemed), sanctification is a process of making us more like Christ. In all three experiences Christ holds a firm grip upon His people. He looks after them, and sustains them along the way. Christ therefore has “delivered,” (past tense) “doth deliver” (currently) and “will yet deliver” (future tense).
Where does it say Satan keeps any one at any time in the bondage of sin and death? Adam placed us in the bondage of sin and death, not Satan. Romans 5:12-18

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come."

1 Corinthians 15:21-22

"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."

There is no verse in Scripture that states when the angels rebelled. There are verses that point to when it could have happened.

1 Peter 3:19-20

"By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water."

Those prior to the Flood were already placed in the pit. The pit was never made for humans but for the angels that rebelled.

Matthew 25:41

"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:"

So we can know that the place was prepared prior to those who died in the Flood of Noah's day.

I never gave my opinion, but I don't think the angels followed Satan, until they were convinced Satan could get Humans to turn against God. I don't think they just followed Satan, because. Obviously it states the whole human government symbolized by the 7 headed dragon cast the stars to the earth, not just a single angel by himself.

I think when Satan deceived Eve, and then Adam disobeyed, is when those angels went on strike, and left their posts in defiance to God. Jude pointed out they were immediately chained in the pit. So the pit was prepared when they rebelled, not for those who died in the Flood.

No verse indicates the pit or prison was formed at the time of the Flood, and then the angels rebelled years later when Nimrod built the tower of Babel.

"And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel."

"Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth."

Peter places the rebellion prior to the Flood.

Jude gives no order as he talks about Israel leaving Egypt, then the rebel angels, and then Sodom and Gomorrah.

The point is that both Peter and Jude places them in context with ancient events. I guess most human theology get their false teachings about the angels from extra biblical sources. To which I don't agree with at all. You question me, while theologians have already pointed out time frames which the church has accepted hook line and sinker even if wrong, such as Amil itself. There is more in Scripture about fallen angels than there is about Amil, and that is not saying much at all, as they are only mentioned in 2 Peter 2, Jude, and Revelation 9 and 12.

The release of the angels as the first woe in conjunction with the 5th Trumpet is not an Amil proof text. It is the fulfillment of what Jude quoted about them. Revelation 20:7 is not about a day of Judgment.

"And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,"

That is not the same event as Jude 1:6

"He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day."

You are adding stuff into the text, and then falsely accusing Premil of doing the same thing, forcing Jesus on earth in the same context. Jesus is on the earth in context of Revelation. The Revelation is all about the revealing of Jesus to the earth and on the earth. That is the whole point. Changing history around to suit an ideology is not the point.

But Revelation 20 could chronologically come immediately after Revelation 12.

"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years."

Just because Satan wants to do something, does not mean God always allows Satan to do something. Satan is bound from deceiving the nations to battle. Things have changed during that thousand years of being bound. Yet Satan still wants that battle. How can Amil claim that the binding of Satan in the first century prevented a war that would destroy the remnant of Israel's seed? Jerusalem was literally wiped off the map, and the remnant Jews scattered across the earth. And Amil have to admit it was while they have Satan bound. Then you move the goal post and claim it is spiritual talking about the inclusion of the church. That while Satan is bound, the church will be that remnant. How is 2.6 billion people a remnant of Israel? And according to your own teaching that is all of Israel, not a remnant. Do you have a verse stating Satan has an army that attacks 2.6 billion humans?
 

Timtofly

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From the moment he and his demonic angels are cast out of heaven great tribulation against the elect (remnant) of faithful saints began. Satan could not destroy the newborn Christ child. So, he went after believers (elect remnant) intending to kill them before the ministry of Christ through His appointed disciples could begin. The attack against Israel of God for a time times, and half a time does not end with the first century Jewish remnant elect. That's when the battle against Christ and His people (Church) began and will continue until the Kingdom of God in heaven is complete as the Gospel of the Kingdom of God goes out unto all the nations of the world.

Time given the Church for building the Kingdom of God in heaven is equally divided between time, times and half time as Satan and his demonic hosts are partly successful and the disciples of Christ are also partly successful. This same time is divided by 42 months and 1260 days. The time, times and dividing of time is reckoned 42 months for Satan as time when he and his minions make war against the saints of God and overcome them. The time reckoned 1260 days is given the Church (two witnesses) to build the Kingdom of God in heaven as they faithfully take the Gospel of the Kingdom into all the nations of the world.

When the demonic hosts of Satan come out of the pit for five months, they have no power over those who have the seal of God in their foreheads. For this short duration of time, however long it might literally be, they torment unbelievers that they will desire death rather than life because of the suffering that comes from the bottomless pit as locusts upon the earth.

Revelation 9:4 (KJV) And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
How can you say Satan has ever been bound if this time has continued for over 1900 years?
 

WPM

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Where does it say Satan keeps any one at any time in the bondage of sin and death? Adam placed us in the bondage of sin and death, not Satan. Romans 5:12-18

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come."

1 Corinthians 15:21-22

"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."

There is no verse in Scripture that states when the angels rebelled. There are verses that point to when it could have happened.

1 Peter 3:19-20

"By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water."

Those prior to the Flood were already placed in the pit. The pit was never made for humans but for the angels that rebelled.

Matthew 25:41

"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:"

So we can know that the place was prepared prior to those who died in the Flood of Noah's day.

I never gave my opinion, but I don't think the angels followed Satan, until they were convinced Satan could get Humans to turn against God. I don't think they just followed Satan, because. Obviously it states the whole human government symbolized by the 7 headed dragon cast the stars to the earth, not just a single angel by himself.

I think when Satan deceived Eve, and then Adam disobeyed, is when those angels went on strike, and left their posts in defiance to God. Jude pointed out they were immediately chained in the pit. So the pit was prepared when they rebelled, not for those who died in the Flood.
Jesus testified in Revelation 1:18: "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."

Christ secured the complete dominion over Satan, death, hell, sin and every enemy at the cross. He took these crucial keys of authority over death and hell through His sinless life, His atoning death and His glorious resurrection. Christ not only defeated hell and death but acquired “the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:18), triumphing over the prince of darkness. Christ became a curse for the penitent, therefore bearing his curse.

Death and Hades have been wholly conquered. Satan can no longer keep people in the bondage of death. Christ has defeated death. When someone encounters Christ, they experience eternal life, and they shall never die. When Jesus comes the last vestige of death - physical death – is banished forever.

Hebrews 2:14-15 says of Christ’s great atoning death, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

Through the Fall, man gave Satan rights that he didn’t previously own. Satan was able to enslave man from birth and imprison him in an awful spiritual prison. The human race had no longer power over Satan. Mankind was incapable of freeing itself from the stranglehold of Satan. The kingdom of darkness operated in that stolen territory thereafter.

Basically, when man sinned all mankind was handed over to Satan to remain in a gloomy state of enslavement. Satan acquired spiritual rights over the human race he hitherto never held.

In Old Testament times, Satan had the power of death, but now, since the First Advent, Christ possess that because Christ defeated death and bound Satan from keeping the world from hearing the Gospel. Death has lost its sting. The grave has lost its victory.

Praise the Lord, the grave has been defeated. Man, today, need not superstitiously dread a devil that once possessed the dark “power of death” and who used that weapon to devastatingly terrorize and ensnare the heathen nations. They need no longer walk in awful bondage and fear. They must simply turn to the Cross of Jesus where their freedom was bought. He can therefore no longer keep liberated believers in bondage to the fear of death but instead gives them hope of eternal life.

2 Timothy 1:10 says, our Saviour Jesus Christ hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”

Christ legally “abolished death” forever through his sinless life, atoning death and victorious resurrection. Here, life sprung out of death. Whilst Calvary witnessed a great eternal victory over death, the termination of this central feature of the curse will only be finally eliminated at the coming of the Lord.

Christians no longer need to fear death anymore. It has no hold over them. Our Lord confronted this dark enemy and overcome it, opening up heaven to the dead in Christ through His eternal victory. Death has lost its sting. The grave has lost its victory. Hades has been emptied of the redeemed. Jesus has conquered death so that when we die, we are absent from the body, but present with the Lord. There is no separation between the redeemed (dead or alive) and their Lord.

1 John 3:18 states The Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

Satan had exercised that Adamic authority since the fall. Now it was time for the last Adam to grasp it back. As man’s representative, Christ had to take upon Himself human flesh to meet the devil on his own playing field. He had to take back all that was lost in the Garden. In this, Christ lived the life that Adam couldn’t live. Christ came to live the life man couldn’t live and pay the debt that man could never pay. By Christ’s sinless life, His atoning death and glorious resurrected He defeated the authority of Satan and took back all that belonged to Adam. Satan has been stripped of his legal authority to control the nations.

Colossians 1:13 tells us that God has delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.

Revelation 1:18 records Christ’s well-known encounter with John on the Isle of Patmos, after the cross, where He significantly appears with the symbolic keys or authority of hell and of death.

Many today are worried about dying. But Jesus has conquered death so that when we die we are absent from the body, but present with the Lord. There is no separation between the redeemed (dead or alive) and their Lord.
 

Timtofly

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Jesus testified in Revelation 1:18: "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."

Christ secured the complete dominion over Satan, death, hell, sin and every enemy at the cross. He took these crucial keys of authority over death and hell through His sinless life, His atoning death and His glorious resurrection. Christ not only defeated hell and death but acquired “the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:18), triumphing over the prince of darkness. Christ became a curse for the penitent, therefore bearing his curse.

Death and Hades have been wholly conquered. Satan can no longer keep people in the bondage of death. Christ has defeated death. When someone encounters Christ, they experience eternal life, and they shall never die. When Jesus comes the last vestige of death - physical death – is banished forever.

Hebrews 2:14-15 says of Christ’s great atoning death, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

Through the Fall, man gave Satan rights that he didn’t previously own. Satan was able to enslave man from birth and imprison him in an awful spiritual prison. The human race had no longer power over Satan. Mankind was incapable of freeing itself from the stranglehold of Satan. The kingdom of darkness operated in that stolen territory thereafter.

Basically, when man sinned all mankind was handed over to Satan to remain in a gloomy state of enslavement. Satan acquired spiritual rights over the human race he hitherto never held.

In Old Testament times, Satan had the power of death, but now, since the First Advent, Christ possess that because Christ defeated death and bound Satan from keeping the world from hearing the Gospel. Death has lost its sting. The grave has lost its victory.

Praise the Lord, the grave has been defeated. Man, today, need not superstitiously dread a devil that once possessed the dark “power of death” and who used that weapon to devastatingly terrorize and ensnare the heathen nations. They need no longer walk in awful bondage and fear. They must simply turn to the Cross of Jesus where their freedom was bought. He can therefore no longer keep liberated believers in bondage to the fear of death but instead gives them hope of eternal life.

2 Timothy 1:10 says, our Saviour Jesus Christ hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”

Christ legally “abolished death” forever through his sinless life, atoning death and victorious resurrection. Here, life sprung out of death. Whilst Calvary witnessed a great eternal victory over death, the termination of this central feature of the curse will only be finally eliminated at the coming of the Lord.

Christians no longer need to fear death anymore. It has no hold over them. Our Lord confronted this dark enemy and overcome it, opening up heaven to the dead in Christ through His eternal victory. Death has lost its sting. The grave has lost its victory. Hades has been emptied of the redeemed. Jesus has conquered death so that when we die, we are absent from the body, but present with the Lord. There is no separation between the redeemed (dead or alive) and their Lord.

1 John 3:18 states The Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

Satan had exercised that Adamic authority since the fall. Now it was time for the last Adam to grasp it back. As man’s representative, Christ had to take upon Himself human flesh to meet the devil on his own playing field. He had to take back all that was lost in the Garden. In this, Christ lived the life that Adam couldn’t live. Christ came to live the life man couldn’t live and pay the debt that man could never pay. By Christ’s sinless life, His atoning death and glorious resurrected He defeated the authority of Satan and took back all that belonged to Adam. Satan has been stripped of his legal authority to control the nations.

Colossians 1:13 tells us that God has delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.

Revelation 1:18 records Christ’s well-known encounter with John on the Isle of Patmos, after the cross, where He significantly appears with the symbolic keys or authority of hell and of death.

Many today are worried about dying. But Jesus has conquered death so that when we die we are absent from the body, but present with the Lord. There is no separation between the redeemed (dead or alive) and their Lord.
Once again, when did Satan bind the nations? The nations either rejected or accepted God. Satan was never given 100% control of earth to prevent people from being redeemed.
 

WPM

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Once again, when did Satan bind the nations? The nations either rejected or accepted God. Satan was never given 100% control of earth to prevent people from being redeemed.

Once again, you avoid every text and every argument. Your theology obviously requires that.

Eph 4:17-18

17 that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

  • Ignorance in Scripture is symbolized by deception, imprisonment, blindness and darkness.
  • Enlightenment on the other hand is symbolized by truth, liberty, sight and openness.
Who is it deceives mankind?
Who is He that enlightens?

There is no doubt, individual unbelievers are very much under the devil’s control and influence and therefore utterly deceived by him. 2 Corinthians 4:4 confirms that “the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not” and 2 Timothy 2:26 explains how they are “taken captive by him at his will.”
 

Timtofly

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Once again, you avoid every text and every argument. Your theology obviously requires that.

Eph 4:17-18

17 that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

  • Ignorance in Scripture is symbolized by deception, imprisonment, blindness and darkness.
  • Enlightenment on the other hand is symbolized by truth, liberty, sight and openness.
Who is it deceives mankind?
Who is He that enlightens?

There is no doubt, individual unbelievers are very much under the devil’s control and influence and therefore utterly deceived by him. 2 Corinthians 4:4 confirms that “the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not” and 2 Timothy 2:26 explains how they are “taken captive by him at his will.”
No, I did not ignore any Scripture.

Even the verses in your last post do not explain that the Gentiles had no opportunity. Adam and Eve were deceived in darkness their whole life after Adam disobeyed. Enoch was the first righteous person mentioned.

I am not denying Satan's deception nor the deception of the bondage of sin, itself.

Satan never needed to be bound and removed from existence to allow people to choose God. Yes those who listen to Satan are deceived and in bondage. But you paint a picture that the Gentiles could do nothing about finding God, because they were so bound up by Satan it was impossible.

Satan was never given the ability to completely hinder people from finding God.
 

WPM

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No, I did not ignore any Scripture.

Even the verses in your last post do not explain that the Gentiles had no opportunity. Adam and Eve were deceived in darkness their whole life after Adam disobeyed. Enoch was the first righteous person mentioned.

I am not denying Satan's deception nor the deception of the bondage of sin, itself.

Satan never needed to be bound and removed from existence to allow people to choose God. Yes those who listen to Satan are deceived and in bondage. But you paint a picture that the Gentiles could do nothing about finding God, because they were so bound up by Satan it was impossible.

Satan was never given the ability to completely hinder people from finding God.
For many centuries Yahweh was ethnic Israel's God. He was God of the Hebrew people. After the First Advent, He was God of the nations. The Gospel opportunity widened to embrace the darkened Gentiles. This was not the case prior to Calvary, with the special exception of Nineveh. The Gospel expanse has gone from "the nation" (singular) before the cross to "the nations" (plural) after the cross. The nations now contain God's chosen people, not simply the nation!

In the Old Testament, God governed Israel in a theocracy, Satan, on the other hand, ruled the nations. The Gentiles were overwhelmingly ignorant to God’s truth and outside of His covenant favor. They were spiritually deceived. They were bound in paganism and blinded by idolatry. They sat in spiritual darkness. Only one single Gentile village/town/city experienced salvation that we know of. The world in general was deceived, not knowing anything about the grace of God or His merciful way of salvation.

Acts 17:30 tells us: “the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.”

What is “the times of this ignorance”? What does this mean? Who is this talking about? It is the state of the Gentile nations before the earthly ministry of Christ and the introduction of His Messianic reign. Before Christ came Satan was able to prevent the Word of God from being heard throughout the world. Before the cross, the heathen were ignorant to the truth and therefore in desperate need of enlightenment.

The Gentiles are constantly depicted in the Old Testament as being in darkness. They are described as being ignored, blind and without hope. They are depicted as being imprisoned in chains.

Acts 14:16 teaches that God in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.”

Did this mean every Gentile in the Old Testament time was unsaved?

No. This tells us that “all nations” were allowed “to walk in their own ways” in the Old Testament era. They were deceived by the lie of the devil and separated from God and from grace.
Before Christ came, Satan was able to prevent the Word of God from being heard throughout the world. The Gentiles are constantly depicted in the Old Testament as being in darkness. Before the cross they were ignorant to the truth and therefore in desperate need of enlightenment. Ignorance in Scripture is always linked to lack of knowledge of the Word of God. It is a fact that the Gospel witness had not reached the nations prior to the earthly ministry of Christ.

Ephesians 2:11-13 confirms this, saying, ye being in time past Gentiles [Gr. ethnos] in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”

The Gentiles generally were in a hopeless condition before the cross, “having no hope, and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). That is a pretty grim state to be in. However, the darkness over the nations (ethnos) was lifted when the Gospel light began to shine. Now there was glorious hope and a way of escape from their despair. Satan had lost his grip over the nations, now it was time for him to be unseated in the lives of countless of millions of heathens.

Israel on the other hand, whilst often in rebellion, was subject to the truth. Prophet after prophet came preaching the unsearchable riches of God. They therefore had no excuse. The people were enlightened to the law of God and therefore God’s expectation of them. Notwithstanding, that did not mean the chosen nation was immune from satanic deception. Israel (who alone possessed God's special favor, and from whom the Messiah came) still mainly died in unbelief before Christ.

Satan was bound (or spiritually curtailed) in order to facilitate the invasion of his territory by the Gospel. Remember, Satan is a spiritual being; he must therefore be spiritually bound. That is what happened at the cross. Countless millions of Gentiles have come to Christ since the cross.

There was a spiritual deception over the Gentiles before the cross that has now been lifted. The darkness has been confronted and exposed and overcome through the Light of the truth. That light is centered in the person and message of Christ. Satan is no longer able to deceive the Gentiles in this New Testament age in the same manner and scope as he deceived them prior to Jesus’ binding Satan at the cross.

Scripture repeatedly identifies the Messianic intra-Advent period as the time of the enlightenment of the Gentiles. This does not in any way insinuate that all will be saved. Not in any way. With the global expanse of the great commission the Gentiles are now without excuse. The ignorance is gone. The veil is lifted.

When Scripture speaks about the enlightenment of the Gentiles and the removal of the deception it doesn’t mean that every Gentile will be saved, but that the Gospel message and opportunity would be extended to them as a whole – just like Israel experienced it in the Old Testament.

Zacharias the father of John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Ghost in Luke 1:67-80 and prophesied: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life … Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.”

As you read through the Old Testament and as you see the revelation of God being outlined prior to the beginning of Christ’s earthly ministry, believers knew that the Gospel was going to go the Gentiles. Here (in this passage) the enlightenment of the Gentiles is directly predicted. This is speaking about the great commission and this current intra-Advent period. Here is the foretelling of the enlightenment of the nations.

Luke 2:27 "the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel."

Many conveniently overlook the seismic change in regard to the Gospel opportunity that exist today (in comparison to before the cross) in regard to the nations access to truth. Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

The deception was lifted and truth shone bright throughout the nations.
 
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Timtofly

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Before Christ came Satan was able to prevent the Word of God from being heard throughout the world.
Your opinion is noted. Still avoiding any proof from Scripture.

Satan was bound, so Jesus could work with His own people who had been blinded by Satan as you put it. Spiritual deception and darkness is being blind to the truth. But nothing about being prevented from the truth if one had bothered to forget their own selfishness.

According to any amil idealism, all of humanity should have been destroyed, to remove the transgression, according to their paradigm. The restoration to them did bring in everlasting righteousness, per their ideal view of the Cross. According to amil, Jesus has put in the work for the last two millennia, and humans have seemingly turned their corporate back to the Gospel continuously. Instead of Satan being bound, he has just been curtailed to continue to wreck havoc in places of authority and human government.
Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.
What does this even mean?

What in Revelation 20 is just a general statement applying to anytime in history?

The "first resurrection" is not a general statement seen throughout Scripture. Revelation 20 is the first time that phrase is used in Scripture. The first resurrection happened to Lazarus, but the term was not written in that book by John.

The rest of the dead live not again until the GWT Judgment. That could be applied to Jesus' resurrection. When Jesus arose, the rest of the dead lived not again until the GWT Judgment. Even when Lazarus came out of his grave, the rest of the dead lived not again until the GWT Judgment.

The thought John gives to that resurrection is that all humanity who are physically dead, cannot live at all during the Day of the Lord, and obviously have not the last 2 millennia either, that have passed since the Cross.

Now if you say that is a spiritual birth, and many have lived spiritually, who is to decide who lives and who does not? Those spiritually dead or those chosen by Jesus? Your interpretation is that some can be spiritually born again, but the rest will be spiritually born again at the GWT Judgment.

Not even you can claim the first resurrection is chronological implying a second resurrection in the future. That would mean you have to place this chronological "first resurrection" back in the first century, and you refuse to do that even though the other point of Satan's binding you do place in the first century. You literally change the definition of "resurrection" and call it "a birth". You do not seem that eager to call the birth of a human "a resurrection", but you want us to do exactly that when a person who is physically dead is brought to life, when you call that new physical body "a birth".

BTW: the spiritual/second birth is still a personal choice, not something that just happens automatically when the Gospel is presented. The reason Gentiles continue to fall away from the Gospel is that human desires are more preferable to obedience to God and listening to the Holy Spirit.

Two things define Revelation 20 as given in the text itself. One: that Satan is 100% bound with no influence at all. As seen by the drastic change after he is loosed. The second is that those who live at the beginning have "lived again". To you that is the spiritual second birth applied. It is also a new permanent incorruptible physical body. When has God ever resurrected the redeemed back into a state of not being redeemed any more? Is that a hope you espouse that our future is just the same old state of death for those in Christ? You use the term "meek", and I say even the meek are redeemed by God and removed from Adam's state of death. You would not say the meek sneak Adam's dead corruptible flesh into the NHNE, would you?
 

WPM

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Your opinion is noted. Still avoiding any proof from Scripture.

Satan was bound, so Jesus could work with His own people who had been blinded by Satan as you put it. Spiritual deception and darkness is being blind to the truth. But nothing about being prevented from the truth if one had bothered to forget their own selfishness.

According to any amil idealism, all of humanity should have been destroyed, to remove the transgression, according to their paradigm. The restoration to them did bring in everlasting righteousness, per their ideal view of the Cross. According to amil, Jesus has put in the work for the last two millennia, and humans have seemingly turned their corporate back to the Gospel continuously. Instead of Satan being bound, he has just been curtailed to continue to wreck havoc in places of authority and human government.

What does this even mean?

What in Revelation 20 is just a general statement applying to anytime in history?

The "first resurrection" is not a general statement seen throughout Scripture. Revelation 20 is the first time that phrase is used in Scripture. The first resurrection happened to Lazarus, but the term was not written in that book by John.
Isaiah 42:6-7 says, "I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house."

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

Isaiah 58:6-12 asks, “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.”

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

Isaiah 60:1-3 says, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.”

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

Isaiah 61:1 says, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.”

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

In Matthew 12 we see the religious Jews rejecting Christ. Matthew 12:14-22 records, “Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; And charged them that they should not make him known: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.”

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

Luke 2:27-32: “And he (Simeon) came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

Acts 13:46-48: “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.”

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

Acts 26:17: "Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me."

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

Romans 15:8-12 records: "Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust."

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.
 

WPM

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Your opinion is noted. Still avoiding any proof from Scripture.

Satan was bound, so Jesus could work with His own people who had been blinded by Satan as you put it. Spiritual deception and darkness is being blind to the truth. But nothing about being prevented from the truth if one had bothered to forget their own selfishness.

According to any amil idealism, all of humanity should have been destroyed, to remove the transgression, according to their paradigm. The restoration to them did bring in everlasting righteousness, per their ideal view of the Cross. According to amil, Jesus has put in the work for the last two millennia, and humans have seemingly turned their corporate back to the Gospel continuously. Instead of Satan being bound, he has just been curtailed to continue to wreck havoc in places of authority and human government.

What does this even mean?

What in Revelation 20 is just a general statement applying to anytime in history?

The "first resurrection" is not a general statement seen throughout Scripture. Revelation 20 is the first time that phrase is used in Scripture. The first resurrection happened to Lazarus, but the term was not written in that book by John.

The rest of the dead live not again until the GWT Judgment. That could be applied to Jesus' resurrection. When Jesus arose, the rest of the dead lived not again until the GWT Judgment. Even when Lazarus came out of his grave, the rest of the dead lived not again until the GWT Judgment.

The thought John gives to that resurrection is that all humanity who are physically dead, cannot live at all during the Day of the Lord, and obviously have not the last 2 millennia either, that have passed since the Cross.

Now if you say that is a spiritual birth, and many have lived spiritually, who is to decide who lives and who does not? Those spiritually dead or those chosen by Jesus? Your interpretation is that some can be spiritually born again, but the rest will be spiritually born again at the GWT Judgment.

Not even you can claim the first resurrection is chronological implying a second resurrection in the future. That would mean you have to place this chronological "first resurrection" back in the first century, and you refuse to do that even though the other point of Satan's binding you do place in the first century. You literally change the definition of "resurrection" and call it "a birth". You do not seem that eager to call the birth of a human "a resurrection", but you want us to do exactly that when a person who is physically dead is brought to life, when you call that new physical body "a birth".

BTW: the spiritual/second birth is still a personal choice, not something that just happens automatically when the Gospel is presented. The reason Gentiles continue to fall away from the Gospel is that human desires are more preferable to obedience to God and listening to the Holy Spirit.

Two things define Revelation 20 as given in the text itself. One: that Satan is 100% bound with no influence at all. As seen by the drastic change after he is loosed. The second is that those who live at the beginning have "lived again". To you that is the spiritual second birth applied. It is also a new permanent incorruptible physical body. When has God ever resurrected the redeemed back into a state of not being redeemed any more? Is that a hope you espouse that our future is just the same old state of death for those in Christ? You use the term "meek", and I say even the meek are redeemed by God and removed from Adam's state of death. You would not say the meek sneak Adam's dead corruptible flesh into the NHNE, would you?
Paul the Apostle said to the Galatians believers in Galatians 3:7-9, “know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham (in Genesis 12:1-3, 17:5-6, 18:18, 22:15-18), saying, in thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.”

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

Galatians 3:13-14 says, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles [Gr. ethnos] through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

Ephesians 2:11-13 confirms this, saying, “ye being in time past Gentiles [Gr. ethnos] in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

Ephesians 3:5 "Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles [Gr. ethnos] should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel"

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

1 John 2:8: the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.”

Does this mean there is no darkness now? Of course not! These are generalities, just like Revelation 20.

2 Peter 1:19 "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts"


Does this mean there is no darkness now? Of course not! These are generalities, just like Revelation 20.

1 Peter 2:9-10: “ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”


Does this mean there is no darkness now? Of course not! These are generalities, just like Revelation 20.

Revelation 20:2-3 reads: “And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the Gentiles [Gr. ethnos] no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.”


Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not.

Scripture often makes general sweeping statements in regard to a people or peoples pertaining to their spiritual state in a given era.
 

Timtofly

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Isaiah 42:6-7 says, "I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house."

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

Isaiah 58:6-12 asks, “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.”

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

Isaiah 60:1-3 says, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.”

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

Isaiah 61:1 says, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.”

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

In Matthew 12 we see the religious Jews rejecting Christ. Matthew 12:14-22 records, “Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; And charged them that they should not make him known: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.”

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

Luke 2:27-32: “And he (Simeon) came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

Acts 13:46-48: “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.”

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

Acts 26:17: "Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me."

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.

Romans 15:8-12 records: "Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust."

Does that mean all Gentiles will be enlightened? Of course not. It is a general statement like Revelation 20.
Nor does that mean all currently in sheol will be granted a second chance. That is just a general statement that at the last day some will be given everlasting life and some everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2

"And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."

Your general statement applies to the last 6 millennia. But has exactly nothing to do with Revelation 20. There are no general statements in Revelation 20. Some of those events in Revelation 20 set a first time precedent never before defined in Scripture.

Scripture often makes general sweeping statements in regard to a people or peoples pertaining to their spiritual state in a given era.
Revelation 20 is not one of those chapters making any general sweeping statements.
 

WPM

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Nor does that mean all currently in sheol will be granted a second chance. That is just a general statement that at the last day some will be given everlasting life and some everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:2

"And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."

Your general statement applies to the last 6 millennia. But has exactly nothing to do with Revelation 20. There are no general statements in Revelation 20. Some of those events in Revelation 20 set a first time precedent never before defined in Scripture.


Revelation 20 is not one of those chapters making any general sweeping statements.
Premillennialists change their hermeneutics when it comes to Revelation 20, because they have, to let Premillennialism fit. Revelation 20 is simply telling us what other Scripture is telling us, that the Gentiles would be enlightened in the New Testament period after Jesus' first resurrection. This is being filled as we speak.
 

Timtofly

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Premillennialists change their hermeneutics when it comes to Revelation 20, because they have, to let Premillennialism fit. Revelation 20 is simply telling us what other Scripture is telling us, that the Gentiles would be enlightened in the New Testament period after Jesus' first resurrection. This is being filled as we speak.
Sounds like you are inserting and distinguishing Gentiles apart from Israel into a chapter that does neither.

In fact neither does Paul when he claims there is no difference between Gentile and Israel under the NT.

The Jews of Jesus day were in darkness just the same as the rest of the world. Not sure how this argument is found any where in Scripture the way you phrase it.

I agree that the Gospel is the light of the world. Not sure how that changes anything John wrote in the book of Revelation, as this book is about the destruction of the wicked, not that they finally see the light, as you propose. Your Scriptures do show the Gospel as the light of the world and especially after the Cross. The Gospel is not mentioned in Revelation 20. You have circular reasoning here. The Gospel is in Revelation 20, because Revelation 20 is the first century. While saying Revelation 20 is the first century, because the Gospel is there in the chapter. You have to insert both points in relationship to a third point. But the Gospel as the light of the world is based on the Death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Which is not mentioned in the chapter. You deny Jesus is even physically on the earth any where in Revelation 20.
 

WPM

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Sounds like you are inserting and distinguishing Gentiles apart from Israel into a chapter that does neither.

In fact neither does Paul when he claims there is no difference between Gentile and Israel under the NT.

The Jews of Jesus day were in darkness just the same as the rest of the world. Not sure how this argument is found any where in Scripture the way you phrase it.

I agree that the Gospel is the light of the world. Not sure how that changes anything John wrote in the book of Revelation, as this book is about the destruction of the wicked, not that they finally see the light, as you propose. Your Scriptures do show the Gospel as the light of the world and especially after the Cross. The Gospel is not mentioned in Revelation 20. You have circular reasoning here. The Gospel is in Revelation 20, because Revelation 20 is the first century. While saying Revelation 20 is the first century, because the Gospel is there in the chapter. You have to insert both points in relationship to a third point. But the Gospel as the light of the world is based on the Death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Which is not mentioned in the chapter. You deny Jesus is even physically on the earth any where in Revelation 20.
It is. Who then is the first resurrection mentioned by whom we have the victory? Hello!
 

WPM

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Sounds like you are inserting and distinguishing Gentiles apart from Israel into a chapter that does neither.

In fact neither does Paul when he claims there is no difference between Gentile and Israel under the NT.

The Jews of Jesus day were in darkness just the same as the rest of the world. Not sure how this argument is found any where in Scripture the way you phrase it.

I agree that the Gospel is the light of the world. Not sure how that changes anything John wrote in the book of Revelation, as this book is about the destruction of the wicked, not that they finally see the light, as you propose. Your Scriptures do show the Gospel as the light of the world and especially after the Cross. The Gospel is not mentioned in Revelation 20. You have circular reasoning here. The Gospel is in Revelation 20, because Revelation 20 is the first century. While saying Revelation 20 is the first century, because the Gospel is there in the chapter. You have to insert both points in relationship to a third point. But the Gospel as the light of the world is based on the Death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Which is not mentioned in the chapter. You deny Jesus is even physically on the earth any where in Revelation 20.
  • Christ defeated sin, death, Satan and every enemy of righteousness at the cross.
  • He now reigns over all creation, the Israel of God (His redeemed) and His enemies (as God and man). The millennium kingdom sees Christ reigning (from His ascent) over the nations. He is working all things providentially for the good of His people. Everything is under the control of Christ, and therefore subject to His own will. He shuts and no man opens, He opens and no man shuts. Not a sparrow falls from the sky without His permission. It is wrong to imagine that Christ is sovereignly reigning over every aspect of creation apart from the wicked.
  • Man's awful penalty has been paid in full. Satan has nothing on the redeemed.
  • Satan has lost his accusation seat in heaven, along with his minions. He cannot now bring accusations before the throne of God against the redeemed.
  • Geographically the Gospel was overwhelmingly restricted to the lone nation of Israel, with a few scarce exceptions. The darkened nations have now seen a great light. Christ has endowed the New Testament Church with a spiritual power over Satan himself and all devils. They are now subject to the authority of the Church as they function under the power of the Holy Ghost and employ the inspired will of God as their main weapon.
 

Timtofly

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It is. Who then is the first resurrection mentioned by whom we have the victory? Hello!
So you do admit Jesus is on the earth in Revelation 20?

The first resurrection is for those who have physically died. Jesus did physically die and His soul went to sheol to free those from Abraham's bosom, and give them a physical first resurrection.