Does this mean that over the years Amils did provide Biblical evidence from the book of Revelation that prove satan is bound during the NT church era? Obviously, Revelation 20 aside since it is debatable what era of time that fits, all previous chapters are pretty much pertaining to this present age and the NT church age, the same era of time Amils have satan bound in the pit. That's 19 entire chapters covering this current age and the NT church era. So where are the verses in any of those 19 chapters that support satan is bound in the pit and not deceiving the nations at the time?
Yes! Revelation 20:2 makes clear,
"And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations (or
ethnos)
no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.”
You have been shown repeatedly what the nature of the deception in our age actually is. It is a general biblical statement regarding the enlightenment of the Gentiles (the
ethnos). It is showing that those who once sat in darkness, dead in sin, blinded by Satan, without hope and without God, would be the recipients of the glorious Gospel of Christ.
This truth therefore relates to the Gentiles as a whole. It is a generality! But individuals can still be deceived by Satan. This is not a contradiction. It is repeated throughout the OT and the NT. It is telling us that the Gentiles are no longer ignorant. A light has shone on them for 2000 years, giving them the opportunity to see and believe.
Before the cross the Gentiles were considered blind, ignorant, in bondage and living in darkness, deceived by the father of lies. Satan had them hoodwinked. He ruled the nations. He had them under his control. After the resurrection, the Gentiles were no longer deceived as the Gospel light shone throughout the nations. The veil of ignorance was lifted. They are now without excuse.
Many overlook the seismic change in regard to the Gospel opportunity that exist today (in comparison to before the cross) in regard to the nations access to truth.
This truth is highlighted in Matthew 4:8-9 where
“the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.”
During the temptations of Christ in the desert, Satan offers Jesus the world if He would only bow down before him. Satan was well within his rights to make such an offer since Adam handed over world dominion to him when he allowed himself to be subject to Satan's will.
The parallel passage in Luke 4:5-7 says:
“And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.”
Manifestly, through Adam’s sin, Satan was able to present a legitimate temptation to Christ. The fact the devil had the capability to tempt the Lord with this enticement proves he enjoyed authority over the nations that had to be broken. Ultimately, God permitted Satan to have this authority. But it was Adam that relinquished this rule over the earth in the Fall. After all, this was a definite and a real legitimate temptation. The devil had huge power over this world.
God controlled one single nation. Satan controlled the nations plural.
Acts 14:16 confirms that God
“in times past suffered all nations (ethnos)
to walk in their own ways.”
Acts 17:30 says,
“the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.”
Ephesians 2:11-13 confirms this, saying,
“ye being in time past Gentiles (
ethnos)
in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”
Did that mean that all Gentiles were wholesale lost or deceived? No! Many Gentiles found Christ in the OT. It was a general observation at the prevailing spiritual condition of the mass of the people. That is all Rev 20 is saying.
The Scriptures often depict the Gentiles in the Old Testament as deceived, without hope, blinded, ignorant and darkened. The Bible repeatedly describes the Gentiles in the New Testament as enlightened. That does not suggest that all were blind in the Old Testament or that all will be enlightened in the New Testament. These are simply sweeping generalities establishing the Gospel climate in either era. The widespread light didn’t shine on the nations throughout the Old Testament. Today, it does exist as the Gospel is preached throughout the nations. Before the cross, the Gospel was largely withheld from the nations. After the cross, the Gospel spread like wildfire throughout the globe. Like Israel in the Old Testament, the Gentiles in the New Testament have now had the light shone on them through the great commission.
Imprisonment, deception, blindness, darkness, hopelessness and ignorance are often tied together in Scripture, specially to describe the state of the Gentiles before the cross.
Isaiah 60:1-3 says,
“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.”
Isaiah 61:1 says,
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.”