Our world has serious spiritual problems that can only be corrected by spiritual solutions. Satan is referred to in Scripture as “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2). Jesus Christ called him “the ruler of this world” (John 14:30). Paul’s writings demonstrate his understanding of the workings of Satan and his demons: “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits” (Ephesians 6:12). Satan’s deceptions have wreaked havoc on humanity.

Satan and his demons were originally angels who rebelled against God and His authority, as described in Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14. God later allowed Satan to challenge our first human parents in the Garden of Eden, who gave into the temptation, resulting in Satan now influencing and deceiving the whole world (Revelation 12:9).

When Satan is called “the prince of the power of the air” in Ephesians 2:2, it evokes the imagery of his attitude of selfishness and pride being broadcast, like radio, television and internet signals are transmitted through the air. Satan’s evil plot goes undetected because his deceptions often present a false front that can appear to be good. Paul wrote, “Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).

Lawlessness—the way of Satan—is steadily growing and overtaking daily life. The lawlessness Jesus Christ spoke of is rebellion against God’s righteous law, which is very often openly mocked in today’s world as being outdated and irrelevant. Even among those who believe that the Bible is God’s inspired Word, most disregard substantial parts of His law.

Christ prophesied of great religious deception that would become increasingly widespread and accepted just before His return to this earth. Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 that “...in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power…”

Bible prophecy reveals conditions will grow so bad that human extinction will be the result without God’s direct and sudden intervention (Matthew 24:21-22). Only Jeus Christ’s return to establish the Kingdom of God on earth will save us from ourselves. At that time Satan will be removed and Jesus and His resurrected saints will reign on the earth. This will be the greatest regime change in human history. It’s the time when “ the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).

This can only be accomplished with Satan being completely deposed from his current position—and that’s exactly what God reveals will happen. Revelation 20:4-6 describes what many refer to as “the Millennium”—a period of 1,000 years when Jesus and the saints will reign over this physical earth and its people at His return. But the chapter actually opens by dealing with the problem of Satan. An angel appears “having a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished” (Revelation 20:1-3).

This prophesied binding of Satan is symbolized in the observance of the Day of Atonement, one of God’s annual Holy Days, as mentioned in the previous article of this issue “A Fast Commanded By God”.