John's VISION provides
Rev 20
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
# This description taken from the vision is entirely figurative and NOT literal.# It leads to the next figurative verse which is NOT literal.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon,(figurative)
*that old serpent, (figurative)
*which is the Devil, and Satan,(real part)
*and bound him (figurative)
*a thousand years* - Aah the bigee?
All this figuratively speaking arrives at this point and the PreMillennialist suddenly goes LITERAL!!
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, (figurative)
*and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, (figurative)
*that he should deceive the nations no more, = God is in complete charge of truth, revelation, wisdom and ability. Hence deception is where God allows the devil to work in sinners.
*till the thousand years should be fulfilled: = The PreMill translates this into "God needs a further period of time to legitimatize His chosen people. That is check that what He missed first time is correct. 
*and after that he must be loosed a little season. = This is the end times. It is coming to a soul near you. And there is NO 1000 year holiday prior to it. 
6/14/09 3:25 PM
