What Kind of World Will We Have Without Satan?

Today we're celebrating the fifth step in God's annual Master Plan of Salvation, the Day of Atonement, the Day of Atonement. And I think it'd be good for us to get our spiritual bearings as we're starting on the message here today. The first step in this plan of salvation is Passover. I'm going to be reading a number of scriptures here in the beginning of my sermon. I'm not going to have you turn to them. I'll just read them for you. But the Passover pictures new life through Christ's sacrifice. The scripture here is Romans 6 and 4. Therefore, we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life. The second step in God's Master Plan of Salvation are the Days of Unleavened Bread. Here we see how to live this new life in Christ. I'd like to quote 1 Peter 2 and verse 24, who Himself pour our sins in His own body in a tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness. Third step in God's Master Plan of Salvation, Pentecost. God gives us the power to live that new life in Christ. I'm quoting here 2 Timothy 1 and verse 7, For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. That brings us to the fourth step in God's Master Plan of Salvation, which is Trumpets. And here we have our new life in Christ in a new world. And we heard about that in the songs we just heard a few moments ago. Our new life in Christ in a new world. 1 Thessalonians 4, verses 16 through 18. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, with a trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be rising first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words. That brings us to today, the fifth step in God's Master Plan of Salvation, the Day of Atonement, where we have our new life in Christ in a world without Satan. In a world without Satan. True at one-ment. Satan is bound throughout the course of the millennium. Then he'll be let loose for a little bit. Then he will be bound forever in terms of what we see in the plan of God. Now today, I want to do something a little different. Last time I was here for the Day of Atonement, we went through Leviticus chapter 16. We went through all the information we see there in that chapter. We took a look at some lessons to be learned from Leviticus 16. Today is going to be a little bit of a history lesson, kind of a brief, very brief history lesson, talking about a world without Satan. And my theme for today is in the form of a question. What kind of world will we have without Satan? When he's bound, that this day represents, what kind of world will we have without Satan? To answer the question, let's review the kind of world we have with Satan. And here we're going to do a little bit of a contrast. Let's take a look at the earth as God designed it and as God intended it. Let's look at Genesis chapter 1, verse 1.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The heavens and the earth. Here we see something that is truly amazing, truly beautiful. We see the product of the deliberate, reasoned, and purposeful act of the supreme creator. He didn't do any of this by accident. This is all done by his design. Now, as is the case in the scriptures, we need to go to another number of places to understand fully what we have here. But for sake of brevity, I'm going to go just to one. Let's go to Job chapter 38. Job chapter 38. God's revealing some details about the creation of the earth here. Asking Job various questions. Job had no response to these. Verse 4, chapter 38, verse 4. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know. Or who stretched the line upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone? And here now in verse 7, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. Here we see a picture of the angels singing. You know, we had a wonderful offertory music and special music. Can you imagine a chorus of perhaps billions? Who knows how many millions or billions of angels there are? But singing with great joy, a tremendous chorus, as they looked at earth the way God designed it and intended it and created it. In Genesis chapter 1, verse 1. We are fortunate to those of us who live today. You and I, I'm sure all of us in this room, have seen pictures of planet earth from space. Now, that wasn't possible years and years ago, but it's possible for us now. And as we take a look at planet earth from space, you know, our father God is a tremendous educator. He's in his own way, you know, very charismatic in how he gets truth across. And here you've got the blackness of space. And when you take a look at planet earth and that blackness of space, you see this beautiful blue jewel. Gorgeous, absolutely wonderful. That's how God designed it and intended it and created it. Let's go back to Genesis chapter 1. Let's take a look at the earth as Satan rules it. The earth as Satan rules it. Genesis chapter 1, verse 2. Lots has happened between verses 1 and verse 2. You understand the thoughts there. Verse 2, The earth was without form and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. So sometime after the world was formed, the situation changes dramatically. The English translation doesn't adequately convey the meaning of what we have here. I'd like to read from Young's literal translation, where it talks about how the earth became without form and void, better translated waste and void. Waste and void. So the earth that we see today was not what God created in its totality that we see in verse 1 of chapter 1. It's a far different place. Isaiah chapter 45. Different condition, I should say, not the same place, different condition. Isaiah chapter 45 and verse 18. For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens, who is God, who formed the earth and made it, who has established it, who did not create it in vain, who did not create it in vain, who formed it to be inhabited. I am the Lord, and there is no other. God expressly says the earth that He created didn't create it in vain. The same word, toliah, was used here.

Back in Genesis chapter 1, verse 2, part of the answer lies in the way the Hebrew word, heya, translated was, should properly be translated. It should be more properly translated, the earth became, the earth became without form and void. So here we see a tremendous contrast. This globe, the way God designed it and intended it, and then what Satan did with it. And here on the Day of Atonement, we ask ourselves the question, what kind of world will we have without Satan? Let's take a look at our brief history lesson. Let's go to Ezekiel chapter 28. We'll take a look at Lucifer's Rebellion.

Ezekiel 28.

The chapter begins with discussing a human ruler, but then very quickly shifts to the spiritual power behind the scenes. Ezekiel 28, verse 12, Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre and Sadiam, thus as the Lord, you were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. Now that is not the case for any mortal man to be described in that way. The seal of perfection and full of wisdom and perfect beauty. You were an Eden. Well, the only two human beings we know in Eden were Adam and Eve. So there's another entity there. You were an Eden, the Garden of God. Every precious stone is your covering. It goes to these various stones. End of verse 13. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on a day. You were created, not born, created. You were the anointed carob who covers. I established you. You were on the holy mountain of God. You walked back and forth in the midst of the fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from a day you were created until iniquity was found in you.

You know, brethren, over the years in our various organizational groupings in the Church of God culture, you've got some that would say, you know, if we just had perfect government in the church, if we just had perfect environment, how much better things would be? Maybe really good. And yet, when you take a look here at Ezekiel chapter 28, you see that there was perfect government under God. And Lucifer may well have been obeying and worshiping and being zealous for God for who knows how many years. So there was perfect government. There was a perfect environment. But in that perfect government, in that perfect environment, Lucifer began to have other thoughts. He began to have other plans. And I believe, and probably you do as well, that from the very onset of Lucifer having those thoughts, God knew it was exactly where he was in his thinking. He didn't stop Lucifer. He wanted Lucifer to have free moral agency. Let's go over to Isaiah chapter 14. And with that free moral agency, he chose the wrong way.

Isaiah chapter 14. And here, as we go through this section of Scripture, verses 13 and 14, you'll notice a statement that occurs five times where Lucifer says, I, he is full of himself, not humble. Hopefully, as we are learning humility on a day of fasting, such as today, he was not humble at all. For you have said, verse 13, Isaiah 14, verse 13, for you have said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will also sit on the Mount of the congregation on the farther sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will be like the Most High. Five different times. His ego gets in the way. Not humble, as we learn. We partially learn on this day and other days during the years we fast before God. So Lucifer rebels and Satan is born.

Let's add to this knowledge what we see over here in Revelation chapter 12.

Revelation chapter 12.

Verses 3 and 4.

A being who has rulership on earth.

Here we see not only as Lucifer rebelled and becomes Satan, he has taken one third of the angels with him. One third of angels who for again, who knows how many eons, how many years, were zealous in worshiping the true God. And yet now, with the influence of Lucifer turned Satan, one third, one third, turn aside to follow him.

I would dare think that these angels, if they were to take some sort of an IQ test, brilliant beings, talented beings, I'm sure beings with tremendous personality, and yet with all of that, they decided to go the wrong way. Just like if we're not careful, we also can go the wrong way. That's why this day of at-one-ment is so important. We want to be at one with our great God. Satan not only influenced these angels, but he began to influence mankind. I just want to turn to one story there. You know it. Genesis chapter 3. My abbreviated history of the world. Genesis chapter 3.

Enter Satan with Adam and Eve. Genesis chapter 3 verse 1. Now, the serpent was more cunning. Notice the word, cunning. This is the adversary you and I face all the time. He is cunning. He is wily. He's got his various schemes. Now, the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden? Now, brethren, is that what God said? Or is Satan taking part of what God said? Is Satan twisting the truth of God? Has Satan tactics changed over the millennia? Absolutely not. He knows scripture, and he'll quote part of this and part of that. He'll be giving you misdirection, deception. Verse 2. Now, a doubt was placed in Eve's mind. And a woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. But that doubt was placed there. But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat of it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die. Then the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die. And here we've got the father of lies. Bible talks about him as being a murderer. And certainly the ways he's proposing here is the way of death. The way of death. For God knows in a day that you eat of it, your eyes will be open, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. So Satan here is advocating an alternative life style. Listen to me. Listen to me. And what effect did this have? Not quoting God properly, doubt, innuendo, an alternative way of looking at things. Verse 6. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, notice, when the woman saw, she began to rely upon her senses, as opposed to what God told her. When women saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, a tree a desirous to make one wise, he took of its fruit innate, and she also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Beer pressure. And so here we have a being who at one point was a tremendous instrument for good in the government of God, who rebelled, who went from being a light bringer to Satan, an adversary. We see what he did with one-third of the angels. We see what he's done with the human race. And here we now come to a point in the sermon where we've examined briefly the history with Satan's dealing with mankind, angelic kind, but now we want to start looking to the future. This Day of Atonement pictures something special. Satan being bound.

In one sense, you and I can't imagine that, but we know it's true because God's Word says it's true. It's going to happen. And we praise God for that. We thank God for that because we look forward to an age without him. So I'm going to quote now John 14, verse 30. I'm going to quote this from the 20th century New Testament. Chances are you don't have that on your bookshelf back at home. 20th century New Testament, John 14, verse 30, where Jesus Christ says of Satan, I shall not talk with you much more for that spirit that is ruling this world is coming. He has nothing in common with me. Christ says Satan has nothing in common with him.

Now, let's now turn to Revelation chapter 20. You knew we were going to go there. Revelation chapter 20. A beautiful set of scriptures here.

Revelation chapter 20, verse 1. Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having this 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 in Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. During the whole time of the millennium, he will not be there to harass anybody. And he cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal on him so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things, he must be released for a little while. Now, there's another whole story there. We'll talk about that a little bit later in the sermon. But here we have Satan being bound. And now, in my notes, I've got a table. And if you like to take notes, if you've got a piece of paper in front of you, you might want to just take and draw a line right down the middle of it, north to south, top to bottom. On the left, I've got scriptures that show the world being ruled by Satan. And on the right, the world ruled by Jesus Christ. The side on the left, a pre-tonement world, and a side on the right, a post-tonement after Satan has been bound. Let's go to Job chapter 1. This will be on your left side of your paper if you're doing it this way. Job chapter 1.

Job chapter 1, verse 6, Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. Satan also came among them. The word Satan here is Strong's number 7854, and it means super-human adversary. Satan is the super-human adversary. That's what we have on our hands right now. A super-human adversary. Much of what we learn about Satan is summed up in this name, which means adversary. Peter calls him your enemy, the devil, in 1 Peter chapter 5 and verse 8. His actions, his motivations are those of an enemy. That's the world we have right now. Satan, roaring like a lion, seeking whom he may devour. All the pain, all the misery. This is what we have prior to atonement. Now, on the right side of the ledger, let's turn to 1 John chapter 4. 1 John chapter 4.

1 John chapter 4, starting here in verse 8.

He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. So on one side, you've got the super-human adversary, the world of Satan we have today. But after atonement, we have God ruling. Satan is bound. And what is God? God is love. Verse 9. In this, the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might have life through him.

So you've got hate versus love. You've got Satan who wants to murder us versus God and Jesus Christ, who have a plan of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

God—let's read verse 10. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the appreciation for our sins. So on the right side of the ledger, the world ruled by Christ after atonement, you've got God and Christ serving, sacrificing. You've got life. Tremendous difference in our world after Satan is bound. Tremendous difference. Let's now turn our attention to John 8. I've made mention of this a couple of times in the sermon, but let's read it. John 8.

This will be on the left-hand side of your page, the world ruled by Satan now. Pre-atonement. John 8 and verse 44. I read lettering in my Bible, John 8. You are of your father the devil, and it desires your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. So as a liar and as a murderer, Satan is the exact opposite of God the Father and Jesus Christ and the world we see after Satan is bound. We don't see lying and murdering, not on a wholesale basis. There may be a lie here or there during the millennium. People will be people. People will have free moral agency. Some of these other sins, murder, for example, I'm not so sure that we're going to see any of that, but time will tell on that issue. Let's take a look now at John 14.

John 14.

Verse 6. Here are scriptures for the other side of the ledger on the right side, the world ruled by Jesus Christ after atonement. John 14.6. Jesus said to them, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Notice, in God there is life, in God there is truth. Satan is bound, and we have a world full of life, full of truth. A world is becoming more beautiful.

Jeremiah chapter 29. Still on the same side, the right side of the ledger there. Jeremiah chapter 29. Notice what God says here. Jeremiah 29 verse 11. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil. Well, in this current world, pre-tonement, Satan does not have thoughts of peace toward you or toward me. He has thoughts of evil toward you, toward me. And notice what it says. I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. With God the Father, with Jesus Christ, in a world after Satan is bound, their thoughts are to give us a future and a hope. Satan's thoughts are just the opposite. He doesn't want us to have any hope. He doesn't want us to have a future. He wants to murder us. He wants the shipwreck us. And he started right with Adam and Eve. The original, you know, Satan in the garden, the original homewrecker, if you will. The original homewrecker. Let's continue this story. Let's go to 2 Corinthians chapter 6.

2 Corinthians chapter 6 and in verse 15. And what accord is Christ with Belial? Or what part is a believer with an unbeliever?

Belial. From Vines' Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, here is the definition of belial. This is Strong's number 955. Worthlessness or hopeless ruin. That's what Satan is in his ways. Worthless and a hopeless ruin. The word has also the meaning of extreme wickedness and destruction.

That's what Satan wants for you and I. But he's going to be bound. He's not going to be able to do that to you and I. Of course, we will be spirit beings at that point, but to the people living in the millennium, he's not going to have that opportunity. He's going to be bound. I'd like you to turn over to Ezekiel chapter 47.

There's an interesting picture here. Ezekiel chapter 47. Here in Ezekiel 47, we see what appears to be a literal river of water with very great significance spiritually. Spiritual meaning. Ezekiel chapter 47 verse 1. Then he brought me back to the door of the temple and there was water flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east for the front of the temple faced the east and water was flowing from under the right side of the temple south of the altar.

So here we believe, as we have understanding, that this is a literal river, but with very symbolic meaning. The symbolic meaning is God's Holy Spirit coming from Jerusalem. He brought me out by the way of the north gate and led me round on the outside to the outer gate, the gateway that faces east, and there was water running out on the right side. And when the man went out from the east with the line in his hand, he measured 1,000 cubits and he brought me through the waters and the water came up to my ankles. So in this analogy, you see God's Spirit now coming forward, coming forth from Jerusalem, and like with anything else, it starts small.

You know, in the world tomorrow things are going to start small. You know, we're not going to have a Garden of Eden worldwide all on the first day after Christ returns. And we see here now this measuring 1,000 cubits at a time. Verse 4. Again, He measured 1,000 and brought me to the waters and the water came up to my knees. So as the time is passing, more and more of God's Spirit is working in greater ways with mankind. Mankind is accepting the use of God's Holy Spirit.

Again, He measured 1,000 and brought me through the water and it came up to my waist. Things are getting better and better. Verse 5. Again, He measured 1,000 and it was a river, so I could not cross. For the water was too deep, water in which one must swim. So 4,000 cubits away. That's roughly about a mile and a half. A mile and six-tenths, to be more precise. A mile and six-tenths away, there's so much water, so much of God's Spirit in this world where Satan is bound.

And the beauty of the fact of having this tremendous opportunity of learning from God through the Holy Spirit. Verse 6. He said to me, Son of Man, have you seen this? Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river. When I returned there along the bank of the river were many trees on one side and the other. He said to me, this water flows toward the eastern region. It goes down into the valley and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed.

So God's Holy Spirit has a healing effect, not only on things geographical, but also on things spiritual in the human condition. And that shall be verse 9. That every living thing that moves, whether the rivers will go where they go, will live. And there will be a very great multitude of fish because these waters go there.

For they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes. Verse 12. Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees for food.

Their leaves will not wither, their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be good, and their leaves for medicine. Again, something physical taking place, but by type talking about God's Spirit healing human beings. God's Spirit working with people who don't have to worry about the encroachment of Satan the devil, who don't have an adversary because he has been bound. What a beautiful world we're looking at. Beautiful world. Revelation 22.

I believe we alluded to this or sang this here just a few minutes ago. Revelation 22. Verse 1. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street and on either side of the river was a tree of life which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit. Every month the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Not just physically, but more importantly, spiritually. Satan is bound. We have a tremendous opportunity for at-one-ment with God.

Since we're in Revelation, let's go over to chapter 12 of Revelation. This will be something for your left side. World pre-tonement. Revelation 12. Right now I'd reached out for a nice cold drink of water.

That was in my mind just as I was turning the pages here. That's not going to happen. That's not going to happen. Revelation 12. And verse 9.

Our world today, pre-tonement, so the great dragon was cast out, Revelation 12.9. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. This is the world we have prior to the day of atonement, where the whole world is deceived. Great! Some very fine people. Oh, there are some people who aren't so fine, but there are some really nice people in this world, too. You've read stories. You know people. I know people. I think about my family back in Michigan. I've often asked myself, and you probably have asked yourself, why did God not call them? Why did God call us? Just some really fine folks. But you know, it's not a matter of calling because all will have their opportunity. All will have one shot, one good opportunity at salvation. Today, it's our turn. So here we see Satan deceiving. Let's go to something I read last time I was with you over here in Isaiah 11. Some of these scriptures, you just can't read enough. Isaiah 11. So where Satan deceives in this world, pre-atonement, post-atonement after he is bound, notice what we have here in Isaiah 11 and verse 9. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. The earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. No deception. No deception. You know, I don't know what education is going to look like in terms of how it's administered in the world tomorrow. For example, are we going to have just home schooling? Well, there'll be schools like we have today, only, you know, nothing but truth in those schools. Is there going to be some sort of combination? Well, we teach our kids at home and then there's a certain time where they go to a university or something like that. You know, we'll find that out when the time comes. But whatever kind of education there is, I'm sure in the home or whatever, the education will be nothing but truth, the pure Word of God, and taught by you as teachers, as priests in the world tomorrow. Again, Satan gone. He's banished. We don't have to fight him broadcasting all the time. People's minds are open. They're receptive. They want God's knowledge. They come to a place, you know, it may take a while for some, but they're going to want the knowledge of God. They're going to want to listen and to obey and to reap the rewards of that obedience.

Libraries, every volume in a library will be nothing but truth. Whatever subject they touch on will be true. It'll be right. It'll be accurate. There won't be in a media, you know, if we've got any kind of media in the world tomorrow. It won't be what we see today. And, you know, I've said so many times I get so tired of turning on the TV and watching the news. I do an awful lot of talking to my TV, and it's just not pleasant for me to listen, but we know we're told to watch, so we watch. Isaiah 25.

Isaiah 25 verse 6 and 7 And in this mountain the Lord of Host will make for all people a feast of choice pieces, a feast of wine on the leaves, of fat things full of marrow, of well-refined wine on the leaves, wines on the leaves. And he'll destroy on this mountain the surface of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. So again, where Satan deceives in this world pre-atonement after he is bound, the veil is now taken away. Taken away. You know, I'm not going to turn there. You know, you might want to jot down Genesis chapter 11. Genesis chapter 11 verses 6 through 8. You know the story. Genesis chapter 11 verses 6 through 8, the story of the Tower of Babel. And what does God say? God says, we've got to come down there and do something because if we don't, nothing would be restrained for them. Well, okay, that was in our world, but in the world after atonement, when people are motivated by God's love and God's Spirit. Think about the cooperation that there'll be. I'm sure there'll be new inventions. I'm sure there'll be all sorts of engineering feats as God gives us the proper dynamics, the proper guidelines as to what he wants to see and buildings and this and that and the other. And mankind will come together with the Spirit of God, with the blessing of God, to produce. And they'll be able to produce wonderful things. Last part of the sermon. Let's take a look in our brief history here of the fall of Satan's kingdom. The fall of Satan's kingdom. Let's go to Revelation. We are going to finish this sermon on the book of Revelation. Revelation chapter 19.

Revelation chapter 19 verse 19. And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to make war against him who sat on a horse and against his army. So here you've got one last ditch effort, well, on this side of the millennium anyway, for Satan to try to overthrow God's plan. Then the beast was captured and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worship his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with a sword which proceeded from the mouth of him who sat on this horse and all the birds were filled with their flesh. So what we're looking at here in Revelation 19, Satan's armies are defeated. His kingdom is being dismantled and destroyed.

I'm not going to turn there, but in your notes, so far as chronology, you might want to jot down Revelation 20 again verses 1 through 3. Because after Satan's armies are defeated, his kingdom is being dismantled and destroyed, Satan is bound, which marks the end of this present evil age. Galatians chapter 1 and verse 4. Now, in Revelation chapter 20, after the thousand years are done, let's take a look at Revelation chapter 20 and verse 7. Now, when a thousand years have expired, one thousand years without Satan, earth is now a garden of Eden everywhere, preparing for what we call the Great White Throne Judgment period.

When a thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.

Think on this, the power that this being has. He's let loose after the thousand years, and it says here, he goes and deceives people in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, just simply name representing peoples of the earth who are in rebellion, to gather them to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. We're not talking a couple dozen people. We're not talking four or five hundred people, whose number is as the sand of the sea.

They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints in the beloved city. Of course, a thousand years into the millennium, Israel doesn't have need of walls and protection because God is the protector. And as this army led by Satan goes to get what they, you know, the idea of get, we heard about that in the offeratory today, as they want to get something, notice what happens. End of verse 9. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The human beings didn't have to go to battle. They didn't have to lift up a sword. There was no sword to lift up for them, and they didn't want to lift up a sword. God took care of business. God took care of business. Now we read Revelation chapter 20 verse 10. The devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire in brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet were properly translated, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. So here we have a happening taking place in verse 10. Symbolic and literal. Satan is thrown into this fire, but he's spirit. Fire is not going to destroy him, but it does destroy all of his works. His kingdom has come to a crashing end. I said we wanted to stay here, but let's go over to 1 John. Scripture comes to mind here. 1 John chapter 3.

1 John chapter 3 and verse 8. He who sins of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning, for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3.8. The works of the devil being destroyed.

At the end of the millennium. But as you know, we've got another period of time. 2 John chapter 3.9. Another holy day that we discussed after the Feast of Tabernacles. I'd like to read you something. This was an article written by Mr. Bill Bradford, Sr. appeared in a Good News magazine a number of years ago, but I want to finish the sermon with this quotation from Mr. Bradford, Sr. He was quoting Revelation 20 verse 10. Then he writes this. At this point, the devil will be removed permanently, never to deceive and tempt anyone again. Then God will be ready to proceed to the next phase of his plan. The earth will have been restored to a beautiful garden, able to support billions who will be raised in the second resurrection. When they are brought forth to life, talking about the Great White Throne Judgment period, the truth of God will be made clear to them, and they can learn God's ways and freely believe in them without the deceptions of the devil to turn them away. No devil in the Great White Throne Judgment period. He's not in a millennium. He's not in a Great White Throne. In their previous life, they had already experienced the devil's deception. Now they will have their first opportunity, not a second chance, to attain salvation as others have before them. You see, brethren, God is using Satan to teach us things, to help us to grow, to be strong spiritually. At the end of the millennium, people who may have taken things for granted, they also, those people, will face Satan. But our loved ones who have died not in the faith, who will be resurrected in that second resurrection, they have already faced Satan. God is not giving them a second bite at Satan. And so, totally, truly, a time of atonement. And you and I can be so very happy that we understand these truths. So, brethren, Mary and I wish you a very great Feast of Tabernacles. Travel safely. Get to every service. Listen to the messages you'll be receiving. Talk to God's people. You know, we go to the feast to worship our Great God. We go to the feast to worship with our brothers and sisters in the faith. And we go to the feast to understand our tremendous future. Let's go to this feast and really have a spiritual feast.