“And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” (Matt. 8:29)
There is one very important point that should be contemplated concerning this verse, Satan and all those angels that were cast out of heaven know the time they will be cast into torment. Why the Almighty decided to reveal that exact time to them is for Him to know, but there are several thoughts that we should contemplate about it.
“For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” (Psalm 16:10)
At the end of the Tribulation Period Satan, and one could presume as well, all the devils, will be chained in hell for almost one thousand years, mankind will learn in that time that they do not need the prodding or temptations of our adversary to sin.
And in all reality my friends, sin is always a personal decision.
So, one must consider, the torment legion spoke of, was that hell or the Lake of Fire? If the former, then I suggest this, that the Rapture must be seen as a truth, for at that moment heaven will be shut to Satan, and Revelation 12:12 will become reality for those left behind.
“Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”
That verse alone could be seen as a truth, for that moment fulfills 1st Thessalonians 4:17.
“Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
Satan today still stands before the throne of the Almighty accusing us, and his entrance at some point in time to continue to do so will one day be removed. That time is the Rapture.
“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” (2nd Thess. 2:7)
After the seven years of Jacob’s Troubles is the day, in my estimation of the truths of the Scriptures, that Legion was speaking of to the Lord Jesus Christ.
“For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.” (Isaiah 38:18)
But I could be wrong.
One thousand years chained in hell cannot be compared to an eternity in the Lake of Fire.
The interesting point is that they know the time, it will not come as a surprise to them, and I mean this in no humorous way, if you think older folks rush to get their “bucket list” done before they die, consider what the Satanic forces will do when the Holy Spirit stops restraining evil on this planet. It is one of the reasons you will see the following verse in so many of these letters to you.
“All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matt. 24:8)
They know the time, we do not, but we who have been born-again are not blind in these matters, those who have been trained by the Holy Spirit to be watchmen on the walls in these days have had truths revealed to them for a specific reason, to warn and to comfort.
The warnings are not just so the wicked will repent, but so the people of the Most High God will continue to stand in these evil days.
The comfort is not just for those who have been born-again, resting in the assurances of the promises of the Word of God, but the comfort we reveal to the lost that can be theirs as well.
Try to imagine the violent anger and hatred of those who were cast out with Satan, knowing their time is growing shorter every day, the reckless abandonment they will bring upon this planet as they see the time approaching.
I would highly suggest a thorough study of the armor you are to be wearing my friends, there is a very good chance you are going to need.
I pray that it will not be so with you, but this verse may become a mainstay in your walk with the Lord.
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)
