Revelation 20:1-3 (ERV) “I saw an angel coming down out of heaven. The angel had the key to the bottomless pit. The angel also held a large chain in his hand. The angel grabbed the dragon, that old snake, also known as the devil or Satan. The angel tied the dragon with the chain for 1000 years. Then the angel threw the dragon into the bottomless pit and closed it. The angel locked it over the dragon. The angel did this so that the dragon could not trick the people of the earth until the 1000 years were ended. After 1000 years the dragon must be made free for a short time.“

In Revelation, much is revealed about the Great Prophecy of the Last Days. One should understand that, until the Millennium occurs, a period of 1,000 years when Jesus Himself rules the Earth from Jerusalem, that Satan and his cohort are free to roam the earth to tempt us to sin. Satan and his followers, i.e. demons, spirits, fallen angels will all be shackled in chains for a thousand years and unable to tempt humans into sin.

Many years ago, while I was in college, I was an avowed atheist. I knew about Jesus, but refused to believe He existed. So, one day I thought I would “prove” that there was no God. How? By using the “Ouija Board” to consult with “non-existing spirits”. So I went out to buy one at a local store that carried games. Mind you, not an “occult shop”, but a game store! So I thought, just another stupid board game. Then I rounded up friends from our college dorm by daring them to try it out. Our dorm was the oldest building on the campus and over 100 years old at the time. Surely there might be some ghosts? When it came time to “ask questions” I suggested asking if there is a God. It was a yes or no question, so the answer was supposed to be spelled out by a Spirit. My friends were unhappy with my question, but went along with it. Lo and behold! The Ouija Board moved our hands to spell out an answer! But, it was not yes or no, but a swear word! Yikes! Right away we stopped my grand experiment and the ouija board was never again used, and eventually put out to trash.

Believe it or not, but there was no immediate realizations about it for me. No lightbulb went off in my head. I was scared of the board “working” and its response, but I was not ready for the obvious explanation it presented. I continued as an atheist until I met my future wife who witnessed to me.

Today, we all should be well aware that Satan and his cohort of demons, spirits and fallen angels are hard at work on earth to cause us to reject Jesus. Satan offers many paths, and lifestyles, but they only lead to eternal damnation. They are not chained today so we need to be aware of temptations to do wrong things, to act out evil. It’s not easy, but it is our walk in life to stay on the path of truth. Loving our neighbors and sharing the Good News. If you are wondering why the world seems to be falling apart, look to Jesus for the answers. By raising Himself from the dead in three days He proved He was God. Check Him out this Easter at a church near you. Amen.