Is Satan already Bound

Nothing Wrong with Understanding Greek, or Hebrew!

The problem that I've found in, and with, those who rely on their ability to refer to the Greek and Hebrew versions of the Bible when interpreting scripture is that it becomes even more debatable (and verbally congested like grid lock on a Friday afternoon) as to who is really more correct.

In other words, what kind of grade did you get in Greek and Hebrew? How many years, or courses of Greek and Hebrew did you take? How up and current are you on the Greek and Hebrew you are relying on?

The answers to these, and other questions, will make a huge difference in someone whether others can trust and believe your overall interpretations.

The following is simply my opinion, so bear with me, but had the Lord wanted the Bible to be in it original Greek and Hebrew versions. I believe He would never have allowed those who put it in our basic language to do so.

Thus, as I've said in the past, when you get to the place of interpreting the original text and content of Ancient Scripture (Bible), it is "all Greek to me!" :laugh:

Praise God for the numerous versions of the Holy Bible, it has made reading it much more people friendly.

As for my favorite version, because (as my wife often accuses me of being) I'm sort of deaf, I like the Amplied Bible. It is much easier to hear, or should I say, understand when I read it!

Shalom,

Pastor Paul

 

There is no passages in scripture that suggest that satan is currently bound. He is restrained but not bound. He is limited, but not stopped. He will be bound during the 1000 year rule of Christ on earth.

 

So Satan can keep me from preaching the Gospel? He must be restrained because God isn't strong enough or powerful enough to empower His people to preach?

The idea that the Gospel is freely preached throughout the world is entirely western civilization centered. Throughout the world, the Gospel is not freely preached. It is restricted in the most populous country in the world (China). It is restricted throughout the Msulim world.

I must say that if what is going on in the world today is an example of Satan being restrained, we better watch out when he is released for a short while.

 

Excerpt from 'The Parousia' (1878), by James Stuart Russell

"Are we, then, to suppose that anything equivalent to this symbol, the binding and imprisoning of Satan, has actually taken place, and took place at the time indicated, viz. the close of the Jewish dispensation? We have no hesitation in answering in the affirmative, and we think there is the clearest warrant both in Scripture and in history for this conclusion.

No one will contend that the symbols in the vision require a literal or physical chaining of the dragon. Common sense will teach that all that is meant is the repression and restriction of satanic power during the period indicated. Now there seems no reason to doubt that before and during our Saviour’s incarnation there was an energy and activity of moral evil existing in the earth far exceeding anything that is now known among men. It is not unreasonable to suppose that the period of our Lord’s earthly life was a season of intense and unparalleled activity among the powers of darkness. If they knew that the champion of God, the Redeemer of mankind, was come in order ‘that he might destroy the works of the devil,’ there was cause for their alarm; and our Lord’s temptations in the wilderness, and the malignant opposition to Christ and His cause, everywhere ascribed in the New Testament to Satan, reveal both the knowledge of the adversary respecting the Saviour’s mission and his unceasing efforts to counteract it. In addition to this, the remarkable prevalence of the mysterious phenomenon of demoniacal possession in the time of Christ is a decisive proof of the presence and activity of a malefic spiritual influence, in a form and degree which to us is unknown, and to many even incredible. Unless, then, we are prepared to give up the reality of that mysterious influence, and resolve it into mere popular ignorance or delusion, we must admit that there has been a marked and decisive check to the power of Satan over men since the time of Christ. The same may be said respecting the prevalence of moral evil in that age of the world. Let any one consider what Rome was in the days of Nero, and what Jerusalem was in the closing period of the Jewish commonwealth, and he will at once concede the undeniable fact of an abnormal and portentous development of wickedness such as to us appears incredible. Juvenal and Tacitus will bear witness of Rome, and Josephus of Jerusalem; and it is not contrary to reason, while wholly agreeable to Revelation, to infer that such enormous and colossal vice betrays the operation of a satanic influence.

It deserves, further, to be considered that the sin of idolatry, with all its mimicry of supernatural and divine power,---a system which the Scriptures recognise as pre-eminently the work of the devil,---was in our Saviour’s time in full and undisturbed possession of nearly the entire world. When we remember what Greece was, and what Rome was, in respect of their national religion, in the apostolic age; the authority, antiquity, and popularity of their gods, and the way in which their worship had entwined itself around every act of public and private life, it seems astonishing that a system so time-honoured and inveterate should have withered away so as to wholly disappeared from the face of the earth. No one can be at a loss to account for this remarkable change: it is entirely due to the influence of Christianity; and but for this new element in civilisation there is no reason to think that the ancient superstitions of Heathenism would have died out or given place to something better.

It is no less certain that this marvellous revolution must be dated from the time when the Gospel began to be preached in the apostolic age. We have the most convincing proofs that the change is not to be explained by the advancement of knowledge, or science, or philosophy, nor by the natural progress of human society, but that it was predicted and expected from the very birth of Christianity as the effect of the redemptive work of Christ. Nothing can be more explicit than our Lord’s declarations on this subject. When the seventy disciples returned with joy to report how even the devils were subject to them through their Master’s name, Jesus said to them, ‘I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven’ (Luke x. 18). It is absurd to explain this as an allusion to Satan’s original expulsion from heaven, before the creation of the world; it is evidently a figurative declaration that in the success of His messengers our Lord recognised and foresaw the coming overthrow of the power of Satan:---"

 

Rev 20:2-3. He laid hold of ......Satan, and bound him for a thousand years......so that he should deceive the nations no more.'

Satan is bound to the extent that he cannot stop the Gospel going out to the nations. This does not mean that he is utterly powerless.

Luke 11:21-22. 'When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace......' This is a picture of Satan before Calvary. The whole world was in utter darkness in the power of Satan except for one small nation. '.....But when a stronger than he come upon him and overpowers him, he takes from him all his armour in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.' The stronger man is our Lord Jesus Christ who has defeated Satan at the cross, overpowered and bound him (to the extent described above) and is now busy spoiling his possessions and letting his captives go free (Rev 6:2). So we see the Gospel going out steadily into all the world and people coming to faith in large numbers in Iran and other unpromising places.

Steve

 

He is in no way bound we see him on earth Matthew 4 and we see him in heaven before God Job 1,2 and Rev. 12.
This remains me of the time I read Genesis for the first time waiting to read when Satan was cast out of Heaven by Micheal needless to say I was disappointed when I found out it actually happens in Rev.

 

Pity you didn't read Luke 10:18.

Steve

 

Satan is indeed bound as Scripture says. The fact that he's a roaring lion (metaphor) walking around (another metaphor) seeking to devour (another metaphor) doesn't change this one whit. In fact, it highlights the folly of believers giving themselves to the things of this world. They're walking by a chained up bulldog even though the chain is 3 feet long and they have a mile of real estate between them.

 

"Be sober and vigilant because in foolishness believers are giving themselves to the things of this world not knowing that in reality Satan is on a 3 foot chain and a mile of real estate is between us?"

No thanks.

I'll take Peters "metaphorical" warning instead.

Nothing in his text suggests anything near what you suggest.

Besides, he probably has a little more of a clue, being sifted as wheat and all.


- Peace

 

If satan is bound as you say could you kindly explain to this simpleton why sin is so rampant in the world? While you are at it please explain why sin is so rampant within the church? And can you tell us just exactly when, at what point in time that satan was bound?

 

...out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings Mt 15:19

Satan not required for man to sin, man is perfectly capable on his own...

 

If Satan is indeed bound, why does the apostle Paul admonish believers to "put on the WHOLE" armour of God:

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Ephesians 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
Ephesians 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Ephesians 6:16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

According to Ephesians 6:11-18, it doesn't appear that Satan is bound.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1 Peter 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

 

Good scripture! I think it's case closed.

 

Still haven't gotten an answer...

 

James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Why submit to God and resist an already bound devil (Satan) and how does an already bound devil (Satan) flee?

 

So in other words, you kyredneck did not inherit a sin nature from Adam, your sins are all of your own creation, apart from satan?

 

Don't be ignorant of what Satan does folks:

But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes. 2 Corinthians 2:10-11

Also, he seems to be keeping records and track of us intimately:

Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 1 Corinthians 7:5

And within our hearts, it's not only our sin nature, but he also implants wicked thoughts:

During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, John 13:2

Ever read Pilgrims Progress where he confesses wicked thoughts coming randomly into his mind? Ever have them yourself, something you would have never fathomed thinking?

Don't be deceived, he is still roaming around, so be sober and vigilant, and remember Ephesians 6, as we are not wrestling with flesh and blood, as some on here seem to think that is our battle with our own hearts alone.

- Peace

 

satan has nothing to do with our sins unless the lost person has opened themself up to being possessed by demons, but even then the person is still responsible for getting themself in that position. It is like alcohol. You can't blame alcohol for someone getting drunk. The alcohol did not force itself on the person. The person chose to drink and gets drunk. Even an alcoholic still holds total responsibility for their condition as they did not set down beside another alcoholic and become one themself. They drank and because of their actions become alcoholics and are in sin. The same with satan. He may offer, but we choose to follow as we are not forced and we would sin without him. All our sins are a choice totally apart from satan. One proof of that is during the 1000 rule of Christ satan will be bound, but men will still sin.

 

I don't want to disagree with you but I do. Some, maybe even alot of what you are saying is correct but if we have the choice to sin then it is possible that we could choose to not sin, hence we could be sinless and the Scriptures will not allow that.