|
An Evil Influence RemovedWhat will happen to Satan when Jesus Christ returns? "Then 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, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished" (Revelation 20:1-3). Before Jesus Christ can transform the world through the Kingdom of God, he must first remove Satan's poisonous influence from humanity. Satan, that evil, murderous spirit, will be banished and his power over humans broken. Only then will mankind begin to submit to God's law and the rule of Jesus Christ. Will Jesus Christ then reeducate the world? "Many people shall come and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:3). For thousands of years Satan has held sway over humanity. He has instilled in us a nature of selfishness—of vanity, envy, lust and greed. Jesus Christ will begin a massive reeducation of the world. People will be taught for the first time how to live by God's law. How will the world be different once Satan is removed from influencing mankind? "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" (Isaiah 11:9). With this spiritual blindness removed, humanity at last will learn God's ways, which will lead to a transformed world of peace and plenty. To remind ourselves of the analogy used by Jesus Christ and Paul, note that the world will go through travail as does a woman giving birth (Matthew 24:8, NASB; Romans 8:18-23). But that trauma and pain will be quickly forgotten when new life comes into the world—when Jesus Christ begins to transform the world after His return. In the next lesson we will examine what the Bible says about the world being transformed, Satan's banishment and the rule of Jesus Christ. It will focus on the central message of Jesus Christ: the gospel—the good news—of the coming Kingdom of God! To better understand the points covered in this lesson, be sure to request your free copies of the following booklets:
For your free booklets, contact our office in your country, or the country nearest you, listed on our contact page. |
| More Bible Study Lessons | |
| Lesson 1: Why the Bible is the Word of God | Lesson 7: The Calling of God |
| Lesson 2: The Word of God - The Foundation of Knowledge | Lesson 8: What is Christian Conversion? |
| Lesson 3: Why Did God Create Mankind? | Lesson 9: The Transforming Power of God's Spirit |
| Lesson 4: Why Does God Allow Suffering? | Lesson 10: What is the Church? |
| Lesson 5: Is There Hope for Human Survival? | Lesson 11: Christianity - A Way of Life |
| Lesson 6: What Is the Gospel of the Kingdom of God? | Lesson 12: The Annual Festivals of God |
|
© 1995-2008 United
Church of God, an International Association | Privacy
Policy Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. All correspondence and questions should be sent to info@gnmagazine.org. Send inquiries regarding the operation of this Web site to webmaster@gnmagazine.org. |
