Several other biblical topics are tied to the last day events. We will place them here under the second coming of Christ because they will be accomplished when he returns. As we divide each topic, we cannot but notice that the content in each section overlap each other because they all pertain to the same period of time.
We can’t separate the coming of Christ from the coming of His kingdom because his victory and completion of his mission included the grand and glorious entrance into His kingdom. Jesus had promised the apostles that he would come again that they would be with Him where He is (John 14:1-4). He certainly established his rule when he came as the lamb of God (John 1:14). The establishment of His rule was the subject of Peter’s sermon in Acts 2. But, the promise that they would be with Him offered them hope in the face of loss and severe trials. Suffering was the way to glory.
Several hints are given to show the establishment of Christ’s rule and authority. First, Jesus taught with authority (Luke 4:32, Mark 1:22, Matthew 7:22). This implies that he needed not quote an authority to validate his teaching because He was the source and resource for the very existence of truth. The authority resided in Him. Second, he cast out demons (Luke 4:33-36). Even the demons recognized his power over them. In Luke 11:20-26, Jesus responds to the Jews who accused him of casting out demons in the power of Beelzebub, the prince of the demons. In the course of his teaching, he says, “If I, by the finger of God, cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you” (cf. Matthew 12:28). The illustration he uses is the binding of the strong man before taking possession of the house and the things in it. Third, he had the power to heal the sick (Luke 4:39, 5:12, 11:38, 40), and raise the dead (cf. Luke 7:11-15, Mark 5:22-43), demonstrating his power over disease and death. Fourth, he had power to forgive sins (Luke 5:17-26). Fifth, he was lord of the Sabbath and could heal on the Sabbath day (Luke 6:1-11). These offered proof of his power and were the very things he told John’s disciples to report back when John asked, “Are you He or do we look for another” (Matthew 11:3). Jesus said, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.”
After Jesus victory of death and hades, he destroyed him who had the power of death, that is the Devil (Heb. 2:14) and seized the keys from him (Rev. 1:18). Revelation 20 has an angel coming with the keys to the abyss. He seizes Satan, binds him, and throws him into the pit for a thousand years, during which time saints reign with Jesus. The Lord’s return in judgment coincides with his reign, but it is not a physical reign. The presence of the Lord in the person of Jesus of Nazareth was the only physical manifestation of his work because a body had to be prepared for him to offer it as a sacrifice (Hebrews10:5). Jesus’ return in judgement against Jerusalem and physical Israel was accomplished in 70 AD and there’s no evidence that he ever set foot on earth. Rome was the instrument of His wrath and the physical city was destroyed, along with its temple. As Jesus explained to the Samaritan woman, “The time is coming when neither this mountain, nor Jerusalem would they worship the Father.” Worship would not be consigned to a physical location. True worshippers would worship the Father in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). In this new age, God is with His new bride, having come down out of heaven and made his abode among men (cf. Rev. 21:1-8).
New Jerusalem and the people of God are privileged to having Satan bound during this period of His reign. This does not presume that there is no more evil or temptation because of Satan’s binding. Those of us alive on earth are still in the flesh and the allurements of this life are still pleasurable when satisfied. But, the Accuser that worked behind the scenes is not setting the traps, and baiting the hook anymore. He has been cast down, defeated and thus, restricted from his access to us. A common mistake is to apply the same New Testament description of Satan’s power today that he had in the New Testament days, “going around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
Granted, he will be loosed to begin his work of deception. It is very likely that he has already been loosed as much as sixty years or more. Based on Revelation 20:9-10, his agenda is to destroy mankind by promoting lies and deception among the nations to incite fighting and war. One cannot be certain, but the signs of our day look very descriptive of this condition.