Crushed
“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”—Romans 16:20
On September 2, 1945, Japan officially surrendered aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Harbor, thus ending WWII. For the next several months and years several Japanese soldiers continued fighting on islands throughout the Pacific, because they didn’t know the war was over. Once the soldiers were discovered, fliers were dropped by plane communicating that the war was over and asking the soldiers to return home.
The Bible clearly shows that we are at war with Satan and the powers of darkness, but they were defeated at the cross. “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him”—Colossians 2:15. Even though the war was over and the end has been secured, it doesn’t prevent Satan from practicing guerilla warfare. He still battles on, attempting to destroy as many as he can before his fate is enforced. And while the devil battles on, we know that he is a defeated foe and we look forward to the day when he will be crushed forevermore. At the end of time, when Christ comes to rule, Satan will be judged. Many believe that Satan rules hell, but he doesn’t. God created hell to imprison Satan for eternity: “Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels”—Matthew 25:41. Hell was made to hold Satan, and it is where he will spend eternity. The book of Revelation gives a glimpse into Satan’s end:
“…and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever”—Revelation 20:10.
We look forward to that day when Satan will no longer wreak havoc on the earth. No longer will he deceive the nations, no longer will he murder, lie, steal and destroy. No longer will there be stillborns. No longer will there be hunger or famine. No longer will we weep at the caskets of loved ones. No longer will there be divorce, deception or lies. No longer will there be acts of terror, child abuse, rape or murder. No, we will be completely free from his tyranny, never to look upon his evil ever again. We will be in the presence of Him who is our life (Colossians 3:4), Him who gave Himself for us, Him who is the reason heaven is what it is. We will be in the presence of Jesus and we will hear a loud voice from the throne of God saying,
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."—Revelation 21:3-4.
We look forward to that day with joy. And may our prayer be the same as John’s when he wrote, “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”—Revelation 21:20. Amen.
On September 2, 1945, Japan officially surrendered aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Harbor, thus ending WWII. For the next several months and years several Japanese soldiers continued fighting on islands throughout the Pacific, because they didn’t know the war was over. Once the soldiers were discovered, fliers were dropped by plane communicating that the war was over and asking the soldiers to return home.
The Bible clearly shows that we are at war with Satan and the powers of darkness, but they were defeated at the cross. “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him”—Colossians 2:15. Even though the war was over and the end has been secured, it doesn’t prevent Satan from practicing guerilla warfare. He still battles on, attempting to destroy as many as he can before his fate is enforced. And while the devil battles on, we know that he is a defeated foe and we look forward to the day when he will be crushed forevermore. At the end of time, when Christ comes to rule, Satan will be judged. Many believe that Satan rules hell, but he doesn’t. God created hell to imprison Satan for eternity: “Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels”—Matthew 25:41. Hell was made to hold Satan, and it is where he will spend eternity. The book of Revelation gives a glimpse into Satan’s end:
“…and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever”—Revelation 20:10.
We look forward to that day when Satan will no longer wreak havoc on the earth. No longer will he deceive the nations, no longer will he murder, lie, steal and destroy. No longer will there be stillborns. No longer will there be hunger or famine. No longer will we weep at the caskets of loved ones. No longer will there be divorce, deception or lies. No longer will there be acts of terror, child abuse, rape or murder. No, we will be completely free from his tyranny, never to look upon his evil ever again. We will be in the presence of Him who is our life (Colossians 3:4), Him who gave Himself for us, Him who is the reason heaven is what it is. We will be in the presence of Jesus and we will hear a loud voice from the throne of God saying,
“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."—Revelation 21:3-4.
We look forward to that day with joy. And may our prayer be the same as John’s when he wrote, “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”—Revelation 21:20. Amen.
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