[Steve Myers] Is there a cause of evil in our world today? I think most recognize evil, but they don't understand a source of that evil. And Revelation 12:9 tells us very specifically the source of that evil. Let's notice what it says. It says, "The great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old called the devil and Satan." And then it says, "He deceives the whole world." And Satan is that source that we can point to that is so often the cause of evil in our world today. And God has a lot to say about that.

[Darris McNeely] He does indeed. There's an old saying that says the neatest trick Satan has ever pulled is convincing people that he does not exist. And of course the Bible says he does exist. Christ affirmed that existence - referenced it many, many times. In reading on in the book of Revelation, there is another scene that tells us how Satan is going to be dealt with at a particular point in time. In Revelation 20:1 we begin to read where it says, "And I saw an angel coming down from heaven having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old who is the devil and Satan and bound him for a thousand years. And he cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal on him that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished." There is going to be a time when Satan's hold, his deceptive hold upon all nations and all peoples will be removed and that's what this story of Revelation brings us to.

[Steve Myers] Yeah, in fact, that's what this painting is all about that you see behind us. It's a representation of that day. In fact, it's more than just a painting that we see here, it's actually a Holy Day that God has designed to remind us of this very fact.

[Darris McNeely] Actually this painting is depicting the events we just read about in Revelation chapter 20, which is actually on the Day of Atonement or pictured by the Day of Atonement, one of God's Holy Days. And what we see in this painting are peoples from all nations, all ages, being - having their eyes open. You see their eyes coming alive and they're looking up, they're looking up toward God and the deception is being lifted off of their minds. The veil is being lifted off of their eyes and they are actually understanding God, they're understanding life and this world for the first time. You see down here in the bottom of the picture the artist's depiction of Satan cast into a bottomless pit with a chain and bound and his influence removed completely from all of the world. It is a wonderful image portraying a wonderful truth from Scripture that the Day of Atonement - one of God's seven annual festivals - pictures. Now, the Jews observe this day as well. They call it Yom Kippur, but they don't understand it with a full New Testament understanding that these Scriptures we've read really do add to the story.

[Steve Myers] Yeah, they don't understand that with the removal of Satan, people can finally have their eyes open to the truth. They can understand the meaning of what the gospel is all about. They can understand Jesus Christ. They can understand the plan of God. And so as Christians today, we're to observe the Day of Atonement. It's listed in Leviticus chapter 23. And one aspect of that day is the removal of Satan so mankind can finally begin to have their eyes opened and be able to understand the truth of God.

[Darris McNeely] This scene that we just read from Revelation 20 pictured by the Day of Atonement occurs in sequence after Jesus Christ returns to this Earth and before a period of time that is shown to be the millennium, the thousand year reign of Jesus Christ on this Earth with the saints and the Kingdom of God on this Earth restoring this world to a condition that God intended from the very beginning, but it can only begin with Satan is bound, the arch deceiver is removed, and the minds and the eyes of the world, all peoples, open for the first time to understand God and His wonderful plan of salvation.

[Steve Myers] So now's the time to remember there will be a time evil will be bound, and we can look forward to that day as we keep the Day of Atonement.

[Darris McNeely] That's BT Daily. Join us next time.