Question: Why is Satan bound a thousand years in Revelation? Why not simply destroy him?
Revelation Chapter 20
V.1 (a)And I saw an angel come down from Heaven, having the key of the (b)bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
V.2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.
V.3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and (c)set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the Nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: (d)after that he must be loosed a little season.
(a) Satan is then helpless to fight or resist after his time has expired. This angel is fixed in purpose, the binding of Satan with chains, and locking him away, in the “bottomless pit”!
(b) This translation in Interlinear as "abyss", i.e. "depths", but with the same meaning.
(c) This banishment/imprisoning of Satan, clearly has profound purpose. The remaining population of the world is about to experience 1000 years of freedom from his constant assault, temptation and deceit. Justice, fairness and truth, are all about to be meted out on the world's peoples, from Christ at Jerusalem, and Satan cannot be blamed for any of the misdeeds of the population during this period. The fallen nature of mankind is still in place during this period, and is clearly being highlighted for a purpose, see: Millennial Purpose (see also Rev. 9:1,2,3 & 11 and notes).
(d) The fact that Satan is released again for a short time, at the end of the 1000 year period, clearly is again for purpose. Heavenly Creation especially, as well as human kind, have to be reminded of the utter devastation of Satan's deceit, falsehood and lies, as 1000 years is a long time, and human memory short. (See Chp. 12:12(a) (b) (c)).
See: Millennial Purpose (Study)
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