Biblical Evidence of Satan’s Imprisonment

In his third interlude, John has described redemptive history through apocalyptic imagery. God chose Israel, the woman, who gave birth to the messiah, the child. Satan, the dragon, tried to devour the child like he devoured other nations. He chased the child as the child ascended to the Father but could not retain his foothold in heaven. He was thrown down to the earth and, now, again tries to devour national Israel, the woman.

Revelation 12:13-17

And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth.

So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

Plan B (v. 13-16)

And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.

Notice that, at the time Satan is “thrown down,” he persecutes national Israel. He persecutes national Israel after the messiah’s ascension to the Father. Here, our previous timing of the war in heaven and interpretation of Satan’s fall is affirmed. He failed to devour the Christ. So, he changes his plan and tries to devour national Israel. Satan’s persecution against national Israel means he failed to overtake Christ. Satan is an accuser (v. 10) and a failure.

But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.

The eagle, as we have seen (cf. v. 8:13), is Rome. On the wings of Rome, Israel flies into the wilderness—a place of preservation or nourishment (v. 6). John repeats what he already revealed in verse 6. National Israel is being nourished during the millennial reign of Christ—the 42 months or 1,260 days during which the church testifies and Christ builds His kingdom on the earth following His ascension and continuing to His bodily return, here signified by “a time and times and half a time.” John’s timing reference is an allusion to the work of Rome (cf. Daniel 7:25) and the time of the establishment of the divine kingdom on the earth (cf. Daniel 12:7). The kingdom is established in conjunction with Rome’s destruction of the power of the holy people, Israel. Daniel was premillennial when he wrote his prophecy. He predicted that the kingdom would be established by the time Rome destroyed the holy people, carrying her off and, somehow, also causing her to be nourished by God. It seems that the establishing of Christ’s kingdom is complete at Calvary, and the accompanying signs are completed in AD 70 at the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem (cf. Daniel 12:7)—within one generation of the incarnation (cf. Matthew 24:34). Somehow, what has happened between Rome and Israel at this juncture in redemptive history serves to ultimately preserve the nation according to John’s symbol. Whether the destruction of Jerusalem stopped the nation from offering up now meaningless sacrifices or her chastisement from Rome made Israel more resilient, persecution brings the perseverance of the nation. Even today, Semitic peoples take great pride in the strength of their culture that resulted from the oppression of their kinsmen throughout history. In persecuted nations, Christians are more faithful. In the West, there is great apostasy even though persecution is nearly absent.

And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth.

The serpent, otherwise described as the dragon, now blasphemes God by trying to flood the nation (cf. Genesis 6-9). Such judgment is a right only for God, and He covenanted with Himself never to destroy the earth again (Genesis 8:20-22). This is a heavenly vision, meaning that Satan is not a literal dragon who throws water from his mouth. John envisions Satan’s great blasphemy and jealous disdain for any part of Christ’s federal kingdom.

The earth, now liberated from Adam’s curse because Christ’s work was finished and federal kingdom established, swallows the serpent’s flood. John is neither teaching geomancy or presenting some pagan notion of Mother Earth. He is envisioning the death of the curse and the earth’s renewal to its natural purpose—sustaining and bringing joy to the people of God. National Israel is the news earth’s first benefactor. The earth now blocks Satan. He no longer has the freedom to roam the earth to successfully devour anyone. Satan is bound. The earth is renewed, at least in part. Jesus succeeded by His death on the cross, in His resurrection, and through His ascension. He reigns in heaven over the earth successfully. The messianic promises of the Old Testament are being realized more and more until the consummation of His kingdom at His bodily return to the earth.

Plan C (v. 17)

So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

Have you ever tried to accomplish something, and it did not quite work out? So, you responded by hating whatever it is you were trying to build. Only later did you feel foolish for being angry at something or someone who had no control over your failure or success. You can’t get a vehicle to start, so you yell at it. You’re not a great bowler and blame the bowling alley because you put your ball in the gutter. You don’t eat well or exercise; yet, you hate your circumstances for your weight gain and the way you look in the mirror. Satan tried to devour the woman. He failed because Christ reigns. He reacts by becoming enraged with the woman. Why is He jealously enraged toward national Israel? He is the one who failed. Because he failed, he angrily reverts to Plan C—the persecution of the woman’s other offspring, those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus, Christians.

So, you see that Satan’s current persecution of Christians was not his original plan. He tried to devour Christ and failed. Then, he tried to devour Israel and failed. No, he tries to devour those Christ is calling to Himself. I’m going to venture a guess, here, and say that Satan will fail again. People will often use the reality of persecution and current influence of Satan to try to disprove the current reign of Christ over the earth. Rather, persecution against Christians is proof that Satan is bound and the earth is really being renewed—proof that we are in what the Bible describes as the millennium (cf. 20:1-6). One day, Satan will fully fail again. These persecutions are the final strikes of a dying serpent. Satan will have to commence Plan D from his place in the pit. He will fail again. His Hell will be eternal derogation and perpetual failure to take what he thinks he is owed. In Chapter 13, John will describe how Satan is currently (in the First Century AD) persecuting these offspring called Christians even though he is bound and the world is being renewed. What an encouragement for Christians enduring the tribulations of this earth, which is John’s purpose in writing Revelation.