October 29, November 5, 2010


Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for 1000 years. And he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the 1000 years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while (Revelation 20:1-2).

Dear Brethren,

A question came up during a recent Bible study having to do with the “bottomless pit”. Though it was briefly answered from the writings of Mr. Armstrong, I felt I should go into it with a little more detail to try and satisfy everyone with a greater level of understanding of the subject.

It is also my purpose to go into some detail about the created spirit world to aid us with perhaps a better understanding than we may now have about it. That world, though invisible, is more real than is our physical world.

Concerning the created spirit world, there are the Scriptures that make known the need of understanding more than perhaps we do of the demonic spirit world to avoid being overcome and destroyed by them.

The apostle Paul wrote a letter warning God’s people of the imminent and continued danger all of us as God’s people face:

“For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy . . . but I FEAR, lest somehow, as the serpent DECEIVED Eve by his CRAFTINESS, so your minds may be CORRUPTED from the simplicity (purity) that is in Christ . . . for Satan himself TRANSFORMS himself as an ANGEL OF LIGHT (truth). Therefore it is no great thing IF HIS MINISTERS ALSO TRANSFORMS themselves into MINISTERS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS” (II Corinthians 2:11, 14).

Satan the Devil Cast Down from Heaven

Jesus Christ forewarned His Church of the infuriated Satan and his demons being cast out of heaven in this end-time to bring hard persecution on His people (Revelation 12:7-9, 13). To survive, it is impertive for all of us as His people to have and keep an ongoing close relationship with our Father and His beloved Son Jesus Christ.

There is no other way any of God’s people can survive the many and varied ways that Satan and his demons can come at us while seeking our destruction.

The Primary Scripture in Question:

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for 1000 years. And he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the 1000 years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while (Revelation 20:1-2).

The underlined areas in these two Scriptures will be explained in some detail in this writing.

The Bottomless Pit

The New Bible Dictionary, (Greek Abyssos, ‘bottomless pit’, ‘deep’): “Appearing nine (9) times in the New Testament, the Greek word is rendered in AV (Authorized King James Bible) twice as ‘deep’, seven (7) times as ‘bottomless pit’; by RV (Revised Standard Bible) always as ‘abyss’. It is used to describe the abode of demons (Luke 8:31), the place of the dead (Romans 10:7), and in the Apocalypse [Book of Revelation] as the place of torment . . .”

Unger’s Bible Dictionary: In the N. T. the abyss is the abode of imprisioned demons, Revelation 9:1-21.

The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, Volume, 1, Page : Abyss, alternatively KJV and RSV Bottomless Pit . . . Deep (Genesis 1:2, etc.; a bottomless, unfathomed and unfathomable deep or underworld (Luke 8:31; Romans 10:7; Revelation 9:1, etc.”).

Young’s Concordance: Bottomless = Very deep, Revelation 9:1-2; Bottomless Pit:

Revelation 9:11 A king . . . the angel of the Bottomless Pit

Revelation 11:7 that ascendeth out of the Bottomless Pit

Revelation 17:8 shall ascend out of the Bottomless Pit

Revelation 20:1 having the key to the Bottomless Pit

Revelation 20:3 cast him into the Bottomless Pit and shut him up

The Bottomless Pit or Abyss

The question is whether this ‘bottomless pit – abyss’ is literal or symbolic?

Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong – “It is a symbolic term for an uninhabited wilderness.” The primary meaning is of Satan being IMPRISIONED in a particular area on this earth; and a mighty angel of God guarding it. (The secondary meaning will be explained at the end of this writing.)

This is similar to God driving Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden and placing cherbum at the entrance guarding it:

So He (the LORD God) drove out the man (from the Garden of Eden); and He placed Cherubim at the east of the Garden of Eden, and a FLAMING SWORD WHICH TURNED EVERY WAY, to GUARD the way to the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:24).

NOTE: Due to their disobedience of God’s command NOT to eat of the tree that symbolized good and evil, Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden on Monday, the 10th Day from Creation (Genesis 3:8). They were CUT-OFF from God on Monday (The Day of Atonement). At the end of the 6,000 years, allotted to Satan and his evil world, there will be RECONCILATION with GOD on the same day (Dr. Herman L. Hoeh).

Symbols in Book of Revelation

Mr. Armstrong also said the Book of Revelation is filled with symbols and they have to be understood by other Scriptures found elsewhere in the Bible. Some examples will be given to illustrate this truth. First and foremost:

The Bottomless Pit, or Abyss, is a symbolic term, but it also has a literal meaning as well!

Revelation 20:7 “Now when the 1,000 years have expired Satan (Mankind’s Adversary), will be RELEASED FROM HIS PRISON.”

As we see from this Scripture, Mr. Armstrong was right; the bottomless pit is a symbolic term for Satan’s literal imprisonment.

NOTE: In additon to symbolic language, God sometimes speaks with wording in His Holy Bible about some things with which we as human beings on planet earth understand but are not in reality.

For example: Consider the rising and setting of the SUN. This is the way we see and speak of it, but in actuality the SUN does not rise or set; it only looks that way to us due to the rotation of the earth every 24 hours.

Also, knowing the Physical is a type of the Spiritual (Romans 1:20), the explanation in terms of our understanding, could appear to be the following:

Revelation 20:1-3— An angel having a great chain (somewhat like our prisons with sharp barbed wire strung around them), and being cast into a bottomless pit or abyss (Satan and his demons cast inside the prison) and bound him for a 1000 years . . . and set a seal on him (locked in during the millennium, shut off from mankind).

It should be emphasized— though God uses symbolic language to describe the imprisonment of Satan and his demons, nevertheless, this imprisonment will be literal and in an uninhabited place on this earth during the millennium. Afterwards, he will be imprisioned forever as will be explained later.

The Holy Roman Empire

The Holy Bible also uses symbolism in regard to the Roman Empire emerging as a world-ruling power, ceasing to exist, and re-emerging twice more in our time. Scriptures regarding the re-emergence of the so-called Holy Roman Emire:

Revelation 13:1, 11 “Then I stood on the sand on the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having 7 heads and 10 horns, and on his heads 10 crowns . . .”

Mr. HWA: This is symbolic of the whole image of the Beast – the Roman Empire of 31 B.C. to 476 A.D.

The Holy Roman Empire – non-existent for a specified time – from 31 B.C. to 476 A.D., revived and existed briefly duriing WW II with Mussolina of Italy (Revelation 17:11), and to come into existence once again in the near future (Revelation 17:12-18)

Existence from Non-Existence

The 5th Trumpet (European Armies, 1st Woe): The following Scripture is another form of explanation but basically has the same meaning – existence once again in the near future from non-existence.

Revelation 9:1-11 Then the 5th angel sounded. And I saw a star (a super-angel from God) fallen from heaven to the earth. And to him was given the KEY to the Bottomless Pit. And he OPENED the Bottomless Pit. . . . and smoke arose out of the pit . . . Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given POWER as scorpions . . .” And they had as king over them the angel of the Bottomless Pit, whose name is in Hebrew ‘Destruction’ but in Greek he has the name ‘Destroyer’ (Satan, the Devil).

The Beast

Revelation 13:1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw A BEAST rising up out of the sea . . .”

The Beast is a smybol of a kingdom, or government (Daniel 7:17, 23), and can be used for a leader of a kingdom or government. The context of the Scriptures about the beast makes known which one. The following has to do with the revival of the Roman Empire:

Revelation 17:8 The Beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the Bottomless Pit and go to Perdition (margin: destruction).

This Scripture makes known the Beast power will once again re-emerge from a non-existent state for the final time — in the very near future. It will devastate the House of Israel. This will be a most terrible time for the Church and for Israel. Afterwards, this beast power will come to a terrible end as did Mussolina.

Jesus Christ in the Abyss

The apostle Paul asked a question related to the subject of this writing:

Romans 10:7 “. . . who will descend into the abyss? (that is to bring Christ up from the DEEP.) . . .”

Here the apostle Paul defines the meaning of the abyss, as the DEEP – meaning Christ being buried in the earth and His being resurrected from it.

Understanding How Satan and His Demons Works

For our spiritual welfare, it seems necessary to go to some length in this writing to aid us in our understanding of the created spirit world.

By reading about the angelic world in Holy Scripture, as God originally created it, should enable us to better understand the reality of Satan and his demons who are continually trying to destroy us in one way or another. This should help us all the more to see the need of always being clothed with the armor of God to defend ourselves from them (Ephesians 6:10-19).

To aid us with our understanding a few quotes have been taken from the following books written by Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong:

MYSTERY OF THE AGES, Pages 60-62 ‘The Created Angel World’

“Angels are actual personal spirit beings, each having a mind of greater capacity and ability than human minds, capable of attitudes, purposes and intentions. It is stated that that even Jesus as a human was made a little lower thann the angels (Hebrews 2:7). . . . They are composed wholly of spirit. They were given self-containing life— life inherent— immoratality. . . . To aid Them (God) in the work of creating, governing and managing what was to be created, They first of all created other spirit beings on a lower plane than the God Family. . . . Angels are ivisible, immortal spirit beings with power and knowledge superior to humans (II Peter 2:11). They have seen all the activities of mankind on the earth and therefore know more about the human mind, psychology, sociology, science and all the arts than any living man.

Angels serve a great function in carrying out God’s purpose for humanity. They are His invisible agents often ministering in ways few understand to us poor humanns who are the heirs of salvation.

The Super-Angel Lucifer and His Demons

MYSTERY OF THE AGES, Page 77 “Lucifer a super being [Cherub] of awesome, majestic beauty, dazzling brightness, supreme knowledge, wisdom and power – perfect as God created him (Ezekiel 28:15).

The Incredible Human Potential, pages 92, 93: “This Lucifer, even as his angels, was endowed with an independent MIND— to think, reason, make choices and decisions . . . Satan is still here, now subtilely swaying mankind into his way of getting, seeking false values, and perversion of mind.

Page 148— “The great Lucifer and his angels who followed him (apparently a third of all angels) were originally created as Spirit-composed beings, immortal. But in order that they have personality and individuality as independent beings, it was necessarry that they be provided with faculities for knowing, thinking, reasoning, and making their own decisions and choices.”

My Comment: As we can see these angelic beings are no different in reality than are we – except they are spirit; therefore they are on a much higher level than are we as human beings. And there is no way we can keep them from doing us harm in one way or another except through and by the protection of our wonderful caring God (Psalm 34:7; 91:11; Acts 12:15; II Kings 6:16-17).

And daily we must pray for that protection from God.

Pages 151-153— “This great and powerful being, even though evil, has power literally to surcharge the air around the earth. HE BROADCASTS! . . . Here is the real cause of all the world’s evils! . . . Satan, prince of the POWER OF THE AIR, stirs the spirits of human beings, injecting into them attitudes, moods, and impulses of selfishness, vanity, lust, and greed, attitudes of resentment against authority, of jealousy and envy, of competition and strife, of resentment and bitterness, of violence, murder, and war. People do not recognize the source of these attitudes, feelings, motives, and impulses. They hear no audible voice. They do not know the attitude came from Satan (Revelation 12:9). But they come to FEEL such attitudes, impulses and desires. This is how Satan DECEIVES THE WHOLE WORLD. People will feel depressed and won’t realize why. . . . Few realize how many passages in the Bible, especially in the New Testament; warn us about Satan and his subtlileness.” [Ephesisans 2:1-3; 6:10-12].

My Comment: Each of us should be extremely careful of not letting wrong attitudes prevail with us for they can lead to bitterness and take us out of the Church and then perish with the second death (Hebrews 12:15). I know of this happening to one such man and undoubtedly there are others as well. As to whether he and others have gone too far, only God knows. He will be their judge as He will also be ours.

The real lesson for us is to realize this was the exact thing that took place with Lucifer who then came to be Satan the adversary of God and mankind. He can never repent.

MYSTERY OF THE AGES, Page 93 ‘Lucifer’

“When Lucifer allowed thoughts of vanity, jealousy, envy, lust, greed, then resentment and rebellion, to enter and occupy his mind, SOMETHING HAPPENED TO HIS MIND! His mind becme perverted, distorted, twisted! His thinking became warped. God gave him and the angels control over their own minds. They can never straighten them out—never again think rationally, honestly, rightly.

“. . . Some demons are silly, like spoiled children, some are crafty, sharp, shrewd, subtle, some are sullen and morose. But all are perverted, warped, twisted.

Possession by Evil Spirits

With these quotes from the writings of Mr. Armstrong, coupled with the Scriptures, it should be realized there is also a need to understand the DANGER OF POSSESSION by the demons, and the reason why they want to POSSESS human beings or even animals (Luke 8:31-33).

It would appear they seem to find a certain kind of distorted peace by possessing a person. To seek this peace through possession of the minds of millions of people; they have influenced people to create devices with which they love to dabble, such as: astrology, seances, ouija boards, channeling, water witching, etc.

Though these people realize they are making contact with spirit forces, they do not realize the grave danger to which they are submitting themselves through their contact with them. (This is discussed in detail in my Elijah writings). And often these areas lead to possession.

During my many years as an elder and pastor, I have seen this happen to members and others as well. This is always so very sad to see people who no longer have possession of their own minds.

Demons Begging Christ not to Send Them into the Abyss:

Luke 8:27-31 . . . And Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion (Unger’s Bible Dictionary, numbering from 3,000 to 6,000), because many demons had entered him. And they (demons) begged Him (Christ) that He would not commnd them to go out into the abyss . . .”

NOTE: The abyss here is the same Greek word as in Revelation 2:1, bottomless pit, can be wilderness.

The fear and dread of the abyss by these demons is made very clear by their begging Jesus Christ not to send them into it. The abyss is a place of mental torment for them; as made known by this demon speaking for all of the others when it said to Christ:

Matthew 8:29 And suddenly they cried out, “What have we to do with You Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come to TORMENT us before the time?”

“The Time” – Beyond the millennium when each one will be an individual star wandering forever with no one to possess or associate other than demons who are of like minds (Jude13). They will have a wretched, miserable, eternal existence.

The Torment of Satan and Demons

What will be their TORMENT? The answer is given in the following Scripture:

Luke 11:24-26 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places (no one to possess), SEEKING REST; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came. And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”

The demons are tormented mentally being on ther own without possessing someone or some thing – imprisoned in their own abyss. They know their time is coming when they will be unable to possess anyone due to their isolated banishment in the beginning of the millennium. The demons know they will be forced to leave everyone they now posses including those in mental institutions worldwide; places where they possess millions of human beings – as well as possessing many elsewhere.

To be unable to possess humans and animals will be sheer torture for them – restless and wandering in dry places (no one to possess):

Scripture makes known by the use of another Greek word the retraints placed on them.

Tartarus

Tartarus – limited imprisonment during this age by restraints placed on Satan and his demons:

II Peter 2:4 “For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but CAST them down to HELL (Greek: Tartarus, Young’s Concordance: to send and put into Tartarus) and delivered into chains (Greek, seiros, cord or rope) of darkness (Greek. Zophos. Gloom, blackness), to be reserved for judgment (Greek: krisis).

MYSTERY OF THE AGES, Mr. Armstrong, Page 20: “Meaning a place or condition of restraint.”

Their judgment will come at the time of the Great White Throne Judgment as will be addressed later.

Restraints Placed on Satan and His Demons

These restraints are made known by what God will permit them to do, or not do, as made clear in (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-6).

A further explanation is made about the restraints placed on Satan and the demons by Mr. Armstrong:

TOMORROW . . . What It Will Be Like, Mr. Armstrong, Page 31: “Satan has no power of duress. He cannot force any human mind to submit to the attitude he broadcasts and attempts to instill. Every human is a free moral agent, responsible for his own attitudes, decisions and actions. Satan does not broadcast in words – merely in attitudes . . .”

But within those limitations, we are warned in many Scriptures of the threatening dangers they pose for each of us unless we are on guard and very close to our Father and Jesus Christ for we are on his wave length as well as other ways he comes at us (Ephesians 2:2; 6:11-12; II Corinthians 11:3, 13-15).

Jude also wrote about their imprisonment of restraints God has placed on them during this present 6,000 years; and the time when they will be judged:

Jude 6 “And the angels who did NOT keep their proper domain (the planet earth), but left their own abode (Isaiah 14:12-15; Luke 10:18), He has RESERVED (Greek: kept) in everlasting (Greek, aidios, perpetual) chains (Greek, desmos, band, bond) under darkness for the judgment of the last Great Day.”

Here we find the time of the coming judgment for the demon world: The Last Great Day – the 100 year period of time in which the judging of all of mankind will take place; all those who have never had an opportunity for salvation duirng this age.

Future Prison for Satan and His Demons during the Millennium

The Scriptures make very clear that Babylon will be where Satan and his demons will be imprisoned during the millenium.

The name BABYLON is used with different meanings and also has DUALITY in its useage.

Unger’s Bible Dictionary, excerpts from pages 115-116:

“Babylon was an ancient CITY-STATE (as is modern day Babylon, Rome as is the Vatican in Rome) in the plain of Shinar. Nebuchadnezzar made the city splendid . . . a brillant city . . . the hanging gardens were one of the Seven Wonders of the world . . . on October 13, 539 B. C., Babylon fell to Cyrus of Persia . . . and from that time on the decay of the city began . . . and rapidly . . . the queenly Babylon never revived. The end of the greatest world city of antiquity had come. . . . The figurative meaning – in the prophetical writings it is ecclesiastical Babylon the great harlot (Revelation 17:15-18 [meaning: the papacy, Revelation 13:11-18]. It also prefigures political Babylon (Revelation 17:15-18) [Revelation 13:1-10 - meaning: The Beast and the Revived Roman Empire]. Babylon is destroyed by the glorious advent [coming] of Jesus Christ.”

This brings to life: “Babylon is fallen, is fallen . . .” (Revelation 18:2). As we should see there is DUALITY here – Ancient Babylon – Modern-Day Babylon – Modern-day Babylon is also a City-State as was Ancient Babylon.

Halley’s Handbook, Page 731, 24th Edition 1965 An Apostate Church on the Throne of a World Power: “The description of Babylon the great harlot [Revelation 17:1-6], seated on the Seven-Headed Ten-Horned Beast . . . exactly fits Papal Rome. Nothing else in world history does fit.”

The Coming Destruction of Modern-Day Babylon

Destruction, Desolation, and Imprisonment—

Revelation 18:2, 4-24 “Babylon the great is fallen (the first time), is fallen (this coming time), and has become A HABITATION of demons, A PRISON for every foul spirit, and a CAGE for every unclean and hated bird.”

Revelation 18:9-10 “Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.”

Revelation 18:21-24 “. . . Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down and shall not be found anymore . . . and in her was found the BLOOD of Prophets and Saints, and all who were slain in the earth.”

Isaiah 13:19-22 “And Babylon the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans pride, will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It will NEVER be inhabited, nor will it be settled from generation to gereration . . .”

Isaiah 14:22-23 “For I will rise up against them,” says the LORD of hosts, “And cut off from Babylon the name and remnant, and offspring and posterity,” says the LORD. “I will also make it a possession for the porcupine, and marshes of muddy water; I will sweep it with the broom of destrction,” says the LORD of hosts.

This is where Satan and his demons will be imprisioned during the millennium.

The Incredible Human Potential, pages 157, 101: “Satan will be bound for a thousand years unable to broadcast his impulses and attitudes. The world will be at peace. . . . The Day of Atonement . . . pictures Christ’s banishment of Satan, that humanity at last may be made AT-ONE with God. . . .”

The War to End All Wars

Revelation 20:7 “Now when the 1000 years have expired, Satan will be RELEASED from his prison and will go out to DECEIVE the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, God and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints (Kingdom of Israel) and the beloved city (Jerusalem). And FIRE came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.”

The 3rd Resurrection

This is the time and the resurrection in which the incorrigable dead will be judged and sentenced to perish in the lake of fire – which is the second death.

Revelation 20:13-14 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged (Greek: krisis), each according to his works. Then Death and Hades were CAST into the lake of fire. This is the 2nd death.

The Lake of Fire

Revelation 20:10 And the devil who deceived them, was CAST into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the Beast and the False Prophet were CAST (1,000 years before this occurs, 19:20). And they shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.

It will be the WORKS of Satan and his demons that will be cast into the lake of fire! All that Satan was permitted to accomplish in his avowed purpose to destroy mankind during these 6,000 years will go up in flames – BURNED UP— nothing left! There will be no one for them to use or possess any longer.

It will be over for both Satan and his demons. And with nothing more they can do -- they will be tormented forever and ever in their own misery.

Because of God’s great love for human beings, the incorrigable wicked won’t have to suffer forever and ever, but will come to be in the second death as if they had never lived. (Malachi 4:1, 3).

II Peter 3:10-13 “But the day of the LORD will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat, both the earth and the WORKS in it will be BURNED UP. . . .”

Satan the Devil and His Demons Eternal Judgment

The final banishment of Satan and his demons is made known by God through Moses:

Leviticus 16:20-22 “And when he (Aaron) has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place . . . he shall bring the LIVE GOAT. Aaron shall lay his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on THE HEAD of the goat, and shall SEND IT AWAY into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to AN UNINHABITED LAND; and he shall RELEASE the goat in the wilderness.”

Revelation 20:4 It will be a place not inhabited, symbolically a bottomles pit, or abyss. A wilderness not inhabited.

Their eternal miserable existence is further described by Jude:

Jude 13 “raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame, serving only themselves; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.”

Wandering stars forever— this indicates some faraway planet. There to be imprisioned forever and ever in the blackness of darkness, such as the earth after Satan and his demons rebellion and attempt to overthrow God on His throne leaving the earth in tohu and bohu:

Genesis 1:2 The earth became without form, and void, and DARKNESS was upon the face of the deep!

Since Satan was the author of DARKNESS— he will have reaped what he has sown – dwelling in the blackness of darkness for all eternity.

Though the following statement more directly applies to the millennium it also applies with Satan’s eternal banishment.

The Incredible Human Potential, pages 157, 101: “Satan will be bound for a thousand years unable to broadcast his impulses and attitudes. The world will be at peace. . . . The Day of Atonement . . . pictures Christ’s banishment of Satan, that humanity at last may be made AT-ONE with God. . . .”



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