FREEDOM TO CHOOSE apr29

REFERENCE: Revelation 20:7-8

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth - Gog and Magog - to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand of the seashore.

COMMENT:

 As mentioned in the previous article entitled “Satan the god of this world”, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who is also the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, did not intend to create robots or puppets. His plan and design was to make a man in his own image with an independent mind, will and emotion. He created Adam and then produced Eve from him. They were adults at creation with lots of abilities to manage the Garden of Eden and in the process make major decisions even to disagree or agree with God. God is just and keeps his word always. He changes not and does not withdraw all the gifts given to men even when they sin.

God set Adam and Eve free to go wherever they chose and eat all the fruits in the garden except one. They were not prevented from eating it but, they were told what would happen if they did. Despite the dire consequence for choosing to eat the forbidden fruit, Satan deceived them and they went ahead and ate it.

In the millennium, the Jews will reproduce and increase to billions and scatter all over the world (see the last sentence in the scripture under reference). It will be (utopia) a time of peace and prosperity without diseases and deaths hence the increased world population. The global weather is expected to be tropical as was before Noah’s flood.  The promise to Abraham that his children will increase and be like the stars in the sky will be fulfilled. The children of Abraham are also compared to the sand in the seashore. Many other promises will also be realized.

At the end of the millennium, something strange and unexpected will happen. Satan will be released from prison (bottomless pit) to test all those who were born when he was imprisoned and therefore had no chance to be tempted. He will deceive them and they will follow him. They will reject Jesus’ leadership even having enjoyed the prosperity for 1000 years. They will join Satan’s’ army and surround God’s camp to overthrow him but their mission will be doomed. They will be eliminated with fire from heaven.

The final judgment will then follow.

PRAYER: Holy Spirit! Help us to understand that we have the freedom to choose and it is a heavy responsibility with dire consequences.