The Captivity of Satan and His Angels

The angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Jude 6.
The earth looked like a desolate wilderness. Cities and villages, shaken down by the earthquake, lay in heaps. Mountains had been moved out of their places, leaving large caverns. Ragged rocks, thrown out by the sea, or torn out of the earth itself, were scattered all over its surface. Large trees had been uprooted and were strewn over the land. Here is to be the home of Satan with his evil angels for a thousand years.
Here he will be confined, to wander up and down over the broken surface of the earth and see the effects of his rebellion against God’s law. For a thousand years he can enjoy the fruit of the curse which he has caused. Limited alone to the earth, he will not have the privilege of ranging to other planets, to tempt and annoy those who have not fallen. During this time, Satan suffers extremely. Since his fall his evil traits have been in constant exercise. But he is then to be deprived of his power, and left to reflect upon the part which he has acted since his fall, and to look forward with trembling and terror to the dreadful future, when he must suffer for all the evil that he has done and be punished for all the sins that he has caused to be committed.
I heard shouts of triumph from the angels and from the redeemed saints, which sounded like ten thousand musical instruments, because they were to be no more annoyed and tempted by Satan and because the inhabitants of other worlds were delivered from his presence and his temptations.
To God’s people the captivity of Satan will bring gladness and rejoicing. Says the prophet: “It shall come to pass in the day that Jehovah shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy trouble, and from the hard service wherein thou wast made to serve, that thou shalt take up this parable against the king of Babylon [here representing Satan], and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! . . . Jehovah hath broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers; that smote the peoples in wrath with a continual stroke, that ruled the nations in anger, with a persecution that none restrained.” Verses 3-6, R.V.
Maranatha p. 313
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Prayer Requests
—-Please pray for my father-in-law, Larry, who went for an out-patient surgery on Friday and is still in the hospital because things were a lot worse than the doctor anticipated. Please pray that he will recover fully and soon. Eileen
—–Please pray for the D family as they had many catastrophes last night. Pray that God will use this to bring the family to Him. Mike
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Dear Friends,
When I was a teenager, I used to like to take long walks on the weekends. My mother, although exhausted from working hard all week in a factory which had terrible working conditions, would often go with me just because I wanted her companionship. The walks would be almost beyond her strength, but she would go anyway because she loved me. *Ye who the love of a mother have known, There is a love sweeter far you may own, Love all sufficient for sin to atone; Jesus is dearer than all. Dearer then all, yes, dearer than all. He is my King, before Him I fall; No friend like Jesus my soul can enthrall, Jesus is dearer, far dearer than all.
We used to walk past my school, which was 2 1/2 miles from our house, and continue on into a section of town where the very rich lived. The houses were huge and the lawns expansive. Some were nestled in a stand of trees and others seemed to be on display. I used to imagine, as we walked by them, what it must be like to live in one of those houses. It seemed like the people in those houses had no worries as to where the money would come for their next meal, no cares about how to pay the bills. In my imaginings the people there lived in constant happiness and bliss. Of course those people had just as many problems as my mother and I did, they were just a different set of problems. *Jesus entreats you in Him to confide, Make Him your constant companion and guide; He can do more than the whole world beside; Jesus is dearer than all. Dearer then all, yes, dearer than all. He is my King, before Him I fall; No friend like Jesus my soul can enthrall, Jesus is dearer, far dearer than all.
In this life each person is filled with cares and perplexities, but Jesus points us to a better place, a place where there is joy forevermore. He says, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:1-3 What wonderful news! Our Dear Saviour is preparing a home for us that far surpasses any earthly dwelling! Even the mansions and castles of this world pale in comparison.
The loving disciple, John, was given a glimpse of the New Jerusalem that gives us a little taste of what it will be like. “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new…He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son….And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare….And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones…. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass….And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there….And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true….Behold, I come quickly and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be….Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev 21:1-22:14
Isaiah also was shown some of the glories of that place. “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem , and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying….And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with them. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat.” Isa 17-25 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. 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.” Isa 11:6-9
*Heaven, with all of its beauty so rare, With my Redeemer can never compare; He is the glory transcendent up there; Jesus is dearer than all. Dearer then all, yes, dearer than all. He is my King, before Him I fall; No friend like Jesus my soul can enthrall, Jesus is dearer, far dearer than all.
May we cling to our Loving Redeemer who assures us, “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” Isa 49:15,16 May we ever look for that city, as did Abraham , which our Glorious Redeemer is preparing for us “a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Heb 11:10May we “give diligence to make [our] calling and election sure,” that we may be ready to be an inhabitant in that Grand and Glorious Place is my prayer. (2 Peter 1:10)
Rose
*Dearer Than All by Alfred H. Ackley