He Reigns
Bible reading
7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth – Gog and Magog – and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
– Revelation 20:7-10 (NIVUK)
Devotional
I remember the first time I saw the film “The Lord of the Rings”, based on the book with the same title by J.R.R. Tolkien. I was on the edge of my seat as two of the main characters got ever closer to destroying the wicked ring while the rest of their fellowship was preparing to battle the evil forces of Sauron. On the big screen it was frightening to see all the evil characters that poured out of Mordor outnumbering by far the army of the “Fellowship of the Ring” and surrounding them in what was surely to be their destruction. Just as the battle is about to begin, the earth opens and swallows the evil. And just like that, the battle that was never fought, was over!
This is the scene in Revelation 20:7-10. For centuries Satan and his evil forces have been trying to fight Jesus by attacking those who Jesus loves most, his followers. The devil was defeated at the cross and is desperate to have one more chance to try and fight Jesus and win the battle back. Yes, the devil doesn’t handle defeat well! Now, John sees him call forth his legion, all his evil, and all the people he has deceived to surround God’s people and destroy them, his last and greatest act of violence. But it doesn’t end like John expects. For 20 chapters John has been preparing to see a battle, there have been warning signs and threats and now the army is ready and waiting. But just as the battle call was shouted out, God finished it, with fire from Heaven. The great battle of Armageddon is never fought because the war and all its battles are over. And Jesus is the victor.
Final justice has been delivered to Satan and his followers. They are no longer a threat to anyone, their power has been removed, and their influence destroyed. This is, for the followers of Jesus Christ, a momentous moment.
You and I have never had a single second in our lives that Satan and his evil forces haven’t been trying to attack us, deceive us, manipulate us and destroy us. But on this day, the day of the final battle that is never actually fought, evil is destroyed and Jesus is still reigning!
– Connie Main Duarte
This devotional is part of a series that helps us navigate the texts of the book of Revelation with fresh eyes. A new devotional every Saturday.
These devotionals are available in Portuguese and in English.