◄ What Does Revelation 12:9 Mean? ►

Satan is the enemy of man's soul who prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. He is that hissing serpent of old who was responsible for the fall of man and often appears as an angel of light - but he is the evil author of deceit and deception, the father of lies, and a murderer from the beginning.

By twisting the truth of God's Word, he blinds the eyes of men and women to the truth of the glorious gospel of God. Here in this verse, he is described as the great dragon - that old, scheming serpent of Eden who is called the devil and Satan.

He is God's bitter adversary, and deceives the whole world with his cunning lies and deceptive duplicity... and we read here that he was cast out of heaven, together with his angels. This will occur at the midpoint of the coming seven-year Tribulation Period: "The great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him."

Up until this point, Satan, the god of this world, continues to have access in the heavens. Indeed, he is called 'the prince of the power of the air'. He was a murderer from the beginning and the father of lies, and throughout this Church dispensation, he is the aggressive accuser of the saints. Praise God for Jesus, our holy, heavenly Mediator and righteous Kinsman-Redeemer.

Although this evil, angelic being was fully and finally defeated at Calvary, his punishment and defeat is carried out in separate stages. Christ triumphed over him on the Cross, and at the end of the Tribulation Period he will be bound for 1000 years before he is finally cast, forever, into the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is his ultimate and concluding punishment, along with the Antichrist, the False Prophet - and all who have not believed on the only begotten Son of God.

Throughout history, this evil being sought to set himself up above the Lord God Almighty. He tried to destroy the Seed of the woman, through Abel's murder. He attempted to corrupt humanities genetic make-up before the flood. He made many attempts to eliminate the Seed of Abraham, through many nefarious means.

He sought to dispose of the only begotten Son of God, through the slaughter of the innocent at Bethlehem, and time and again as history has progressed, many anti-christs, like Antiochus Epiphanes, Nero, Titus, Charlemagne, Napoleon, Mussolini, and Hitler have been raised up by this evil enemy, to eradicate the Jewish race - so that God's plans and purposes for mankind can never be fulfilled.

It is here, in the midpoint of the Tribulation, that Satan attempts his final, vicious onslaught to eradicate every Jew from the annals of history. It is at this midpoint of the Tribulation, that he is cast down to earth and his fallen angels are thrown down with him. Truly, this last 3½ years of the Great Tribulation can justly be called 'the Terrible Time of Jacobs Trouble'.

But God's plans and purposes can never fail, and although two thirds of the nation will be slaughtered, they will overcome that great dragon - that serpent of old, who is called the devil and Satan - through the blood of the Lamb. They will be victorious through of the word of their testimony, because they did not love their life, even when faced with death.

God's promise to protect the little nation of Israel and fulfil His promises to Abraham and David, will never fail. He will certainly execute His Word and return His chosen people back to Himself, for His Word cannot fail.

Praise God that Jesus' poignant prophecy in Matthew will eventually be fulfilled and all Israel will be saved, for as He faced the Cross He said, "You will not see Me again, UNTIL you say the 'Blessed is He, Who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

Hosanna to the Son of David.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the amazing book of Revelation which explains the end from the beginning. Thank You for detailing Satan's final destination, when You throw him and his demons into the lake of fire for eternity. Satan knows his time on this earth is short and is prowling around like a lion seeking people to devour. Expose his works, I pray, and open the eyes of those who have been blinded by His deceit and deception. May many more be saved before this age is over and may Your name be glorified, not only in this age but in the age to come. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.