Introduction  

The Defeat of Satan! 

After this period of a thousand years is finished, Satan is allowed to go on “furlough,” so he is out on “bail” (so to speak) for a short time. Then, he goes on the prowl to seek wickedness and to destroy. But, he is also being used to test people to see if they will bow to his deception and once again be disloyal to God and His goodness. All those who oppose God—those who seek evil, lining up on Satan’s side, hunting God’s people and fighting against God Himself, as they try with all their might to fight God. They do all that is in their power to destroy and their numbers are vast. They make war and try to lay siege to God’s people. But, Christians can take comfort and hope because God fights on our behalf and the battle is extremely lopsided as He wipes them from the earth and they are consumed with fire and His judgment. Then, Satan and those who are evil receive the penalty phase of their sentence. They are thrown into hell for eternity to be tormented. Satan loses; God and His faithful people win! Game over!  

            Then, John sees more hope and reassurance of faith. The great white throne judgment commences as the earth is filled with the presence of Christ. Evil has no place to hide. God opens His books to see who is with Him and who opposes Him, who has received His grace and who is disloyal and has betrayed God, aligning them selves with Satan. Christ judges the dead according to what they have done—chosen evil or received Him. The sea and all other places give up their dead who stand before Christ and receive either eternal reward or judgment. Those who lived to themselves, loved evil and sought betrayal to God, are given what they want; they are put away from God for eternity. They are put in hell, the second death—the final death—for all eternity.  

How does this passage give us comfort and hope? What about the fact that God passionately hates injustice and will hold those who are evil to account?