Alan Gross
Well-Known Member
"The question is now: When does this binding of Satan take place?
"Here we need to understand what things were like in the days of the Old Testament.
"Hear Psalm 147:19-20:
"He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel [i.e., the Jews received the revelation of God through the prophets in the Word].
"He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them."
Acts 14:16 makes the same point:
God “in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.”
"In other words, in Old Testament days all the nations were in the thick darkness of paganism and idolatry (cf. Eph. 2:12).
"The light of salvation shone only in that little tract of land in Palestine.
"That is the way things were in Old Testament times.
"Then, in Jesus Christ, God came into the world in human flesh, and He atoned for the sins of the elect not only in Israel but also in all nations...
"The gospel spread throughout the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa and is now being disseminated throughout the whole world.
"But, of course, Satan sought to crush the New Testament church.
"How would he do that?
"By deceiving all the nations to unite together against Christ’s bride to destroy her.
"This is where the binding of Satan comes in.
"Jesus Christ bound Satan by His cross and resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (which is the application of the cross).
"Here, you understand, I am taking Christ’s atoning death, burial, resurrection, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as one complex of events.
"Now we need to look at a few passages.
First, in Matthew 12:28-29, Jesus says to the Pharisees,
"But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
"Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house."
This passage declares;
(1) that Satan is “cast out” by Christ—the same Greek word is used in Revelation 20:3 where Satan is cast into the bottomless pit—
and (2) that the kingdom of God is come in Christ and this is proven by Jesus’ exorcising demons.
Second, in John 12:31, Christ declares,
“Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.”
"Note: (1) this word “cast out” is virtually the same word as that used in Revelation 20:3 where Satan is cast out
"and (2) Satan is cast out “now.” The next verse goes on to speak of Christ being lifted up on the cross and ascending into heaven. That is when Satan is cast out.
Third, Colossians 2:15 states that Jesus Christ “spoiled principalities and powers" [including, centrally, Satan], at the cross.
Fourth, Hebrews 2:14 teaches us that Jesus came in flesh and blood to die on the cross in order that “through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil.”
Fifth, I John 3:8 proclaims this good news: “The Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
"These five New Testament texts unitedly declare that Satan was cast out and spoiled by Christ at His first coming by His death, burial, and resurrection.
"Of course!
"For if the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, the “power of God” (I Cor. 1:24), does not bind Satan or cast him out, then nothing in the universe could!
"Someone might say, though, “This puts the binding of Satan in the past,” for the cross and the events that I have described are in the past.
"The answer to that is “Yes, that is exactly where I am putting the binding of Satan: in the past.”
"You say, “What’s that doing in the book of Revelation? Doesn’t Revelation 20 speak about things future to us?”
"Undoubtedly, there are things in Revelation 20 that are future to us, but some of the chapter refers to events that have already occurred.
"This is not unusual in the book of Revelation.
"Revelation 5, for instance, speaks about Christ’s ascension and reign.
"This is the chapter in which the Lamb takes the book.
"This vision begins, “And I saw in the right hand …” (1). Christ’s taking the book and beginning to rule over all things actually occurred in the past—for John too, because John penned Revelation in the AD 90s, according to most New Testament scholars.
"Christ took the book and began to exercise God’s rule over the whole universe in the AD 30s upon His ascension into heaven.
"Revelation 12, is similar.
"It tells us what John saw: “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven …” (1).
"Here we see a woman and a dragon and all sorts of wonderful signs.
"In this chapter, we also behold Christ’s birth, His ascension, and His reign (2, 4-5).
"These things happened in the past from our perspective and they were in the past from John’s perspective when he wrote this book."
"Here we need to understand what things were like in the days of the Old Testament.
"Hear Psalm 147:19-20:
"He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel [i.e., the Jews received the revelation of God through the prophets in the Word].
"He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them."
Acts 14:16 makes the same point:
God “in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.”
"In other words, in Old Testament days all the nations were in the thick darkness of paganism and idolatry (cf. Eph. 2:12).
"The light of salvation shone only in that little tract of land in Palestine.
"That is the way things were in Old Testament times.
"Then, in Jesus Christ, God came into the world in human flesh, and He atoned for the sins of the elect not only in Israel but also in all nations...
"The gospel spread throughout the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa and is now being disseminated throughout the whole world.
"But, of course, Satan sought to crush the New Testament church.
"How would he do that?
"By deceiving all the nations to unite together against Christ’s bride to destroy her.
"This is where the binding of Satan comes in.
"Jesus Christ bound Satan by His cross and resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (which is the application of the cross).
"Here, you understand, I am taking Christ’s atoning death, burial, resurrection, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as one complex of events.
"Now we need to look at a few passages.
First, in Matthew 12:28-29, Jesus says to the Pharisees,
"But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
"Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house."
This passage declares;
(1) that Satan is “cast out” by Christ—the same Greek word is used in Revelation 20:3 where Satan is cast into the bottomless pit—
and (2) that the kingdom of God is come in Christ and this is proven by Jesus’ exorcising demons.
Second, in John 12:31, Christ declares,
“Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.”
"Note: (1) this word “cast out” is virtually the same word as that used in Revelation 20:3 where Satan is cast out
"and (2) Satan is cast out “now.” The next verse goes on to speak of Christ being lifted up on the cross and ascending into heaven. That is when Satan is cast out.
Third, Colossians 2:15 states that Jesus Christ “spoiled principalities and powers" [including, centrally, Satan], at the cross.
Fourth, Hebrews 2:14 teaches us that Jesus came in flesh and blood to die on the cross in order that “through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil.”
Fifth, I John 3:8 proclaims this good news: “The Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
"These five New Testament texts unitedly declare that Satan was cast out and spoiled by Christ at His first coming by His death, burial, and resurrection.
"Of course!
"For if the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, the “power of God” (I Cor. 1:24), does not bind Satan or cast him out, then nothing in the universe could!
"Someone might say, though, “This puts the binding of Satan in the past,” for the cross and the events that I have described are in the past.
"The answer to that is “Yes, that is exactly where I am putting the binding of Satan: in the past.”
"You say, “What’s that doing in the book of Revelation? Doesn’t Revelation 20 speak about things future to us?”
"Undoubtedly, there are things in Revelation 20 that are future to us, but some of the chapter refers to events that have already occurred.
"This is not unusual in the book of Revelation.
"Revelation 5, for instance, speaks about Christ’s ascension and reign.
"This is the chapter in which the Lamb takes the book.
"This vision begins, “And I saw in the right hand …” (1). Christ’s taking the book and beginning to rule over all things actually occurred in the past—for John too, because John penned Revelation in the AD 90s, according to most New Testament scholars.
"Christ took the book and began to exercise God’s rule over the whole universe in the AD 30s upon His ascension into heaven.
"Revelation 12, is similar.
"It tells us what John saw: “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven …” (1).
"Here we see a woman and a dragon and all sorts of wonderful signs.
"In this chapter, we also behold Christ’s birth, His ascension, and His reign (2, 4-5).
"These things happened in the past from our perspective and they were in the past from John’s perspective when he wrote this book."
