Satan's temporary Unbinding

[AaronBDisney]

The fact that the Devil must be released for a short period of time is sort of a difficult thing for me to grasp as far as the Amil understanding goes. The chaining and binding make enough sense, but if the cross is what bound him (reduced him to inactivity) how will the power of that binding be relieved, even for a little while?

This being a metaphoric binding, it seems that Christ's sacrifice effects and defines the binding. How can it be he is released. It almost seems to be a temporary lifting of the effect of his sacrifice. This may not be making sense but I hope I'm getting my question across good enough/

[steve]

I think that that binding of Satan, while associated with the cross in some passages (Col.2:15/Heb.2:14) is also associated with the broader ministry of Christ (Matt.12:29). The binding of the devil in Revelation 20 seems only to be a reference to his inability to continue deceiving the Gentile world (Rev.20:3), as he used to before the Gospel was sent to the nations (Matt.28:19-20). His "loosing" is related to His ability to deceive the nations once more (Rev.20:7f). This is not an undoing of the effects of the Gospel or of the cross, but of the church's mission. For some reason, the church loses its influence and its evangelistic effectiveness, due to the devil's deceptive influence. This, I believe, results in widespread persecution, and, possibly, the church going underground for its survival.

It might seem strange that God would allow this final test to come upon the world and the church, but it is no stranger under an amil system than under a premil system. When I was premillennial, I could never understand why, after Jesus had come back, there would be another great rebellion a thousand years later.

[AaronBDisney]

Yeah - it makes far less sense under a pre-mil system. I'm still just trying to plug up all the small holes. I wish this subject wasn't so fascinating to me. I know there are far better things to devote my study time to. I just want to comprehend as best as I can what the power of the Kingdom is right now, instead of waiting for one to come.

[mikew]

My eschatology is non-typical preterism, maybe somewhat between amil and post-mil.

I see the kingdom of God as Christ's political rule over the nations that started in AD70. And the best sense I have made of the unbinding of Satan would be to essentially expose leaders and people that are specially inclined to mock God and Christianity. These would be people inclined to deceive the nations about the nature of Christ's work on earth and thereby create animosity toward Christ and believers. After these groups are exposed, then God's destruction and cleansing comes upon them. Thereafter, the message of Christ and His kingdom can operate in a purer and freer form. So basically the Rev 20 deception acts as a late-stage cleansing process -- at least regarding the scope of prophecy.

I've seen the role of Satan as being a bottom feeder for the ultimate purpose of cleansing the earth -- but this doesn't mean it is Satan's intent to clean things.

[anochria]

I wish this subject wasn't so fascinating to me. I know there are far better things to devote my study time to. I just want to comprehend as best as I can what the power of the Kingdom is right now, instead of waiting for one to come.

Agreed.

That said, coming also from an amil view, I see the final release of satan as a final testing of the church. Who knows, maybe we're undergoing it as we speak?

On a somewhat tangental note, I'm assuming, Steve, that you interpret "the camp of God's people, the city He loves" (20:9) as the heavenly Jerusalem (the church)?