1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

R254 : page 24salvation" (the great salvation promised to the overcomers-- theBride).Soon Satan's power must wane. When in God's plan evil hasserved its designed purposes, the Lord will take to himself hisgreat power and reign (Rev. 11:17), and the rule which Satannow bears over those who do his will, will be overthrown, and anew age ushered in, the law and controlling power of which willbe righteousness--a great contrast, indeed, with "theR255 : page 24present evil world" (age). This taking of control is described byJesus in a parable--Mark 3:27. And again, in Rev. 20:2, it isrepresented in a pen picture as a binding of Satan with a strongchain of power for a thousand years. When bound he has not yetmet his doom--destruction--but will merely be restrained fromdeceiving the nations until the end of the millennial age. Thenall mankind having come to know good and evil, and havingbeen restored to perfection of being, should and could resist alltemptation, and if Satan were again to present temptation, theyshould oppose it and him, else they are as guilty as he. And sowe read, Satan is again permitted to try the restored perfecthuman family, who now know by experience what sin is, andwhat God's love is; and, strange as it may seem, a numberfollow and join the rebellion of the angels-- yet we cannot doubtthat the number will be small in comparison with the numberswho shall live in harmony with God.The agency of evil being then ended, all evil will be wiped out;and "every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess (Jesus) tothe glory of God the Father."--Phil. 2:11. As Paul declares(writing of Christ and his body-church): "The very God of peaceshall bruise Satan (crush the serpent's head-- destroy him) underyour feet shortly."--Rom. 16:20. Paul again declares that thedestruction of Satan and the evil which he has caused, was theobject of Jesus' coming into the world and dying--"That throughdeath he might destroy him that had the power of death,--that is,the devil."--Heb. 2:14.John also adds his testimony that "For this purpose the SonR255 : page 25of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of thedevil"--all evil (1 John 3:8).C.--How wonderful it seems! To think that God has for over sixthousand years permitted not only men, but angels, tomisunderstand his great wisdom, power, and love that in duetime those attributes might shine with ten-fold brilliancy. Thisfurnishes us a key, too, to our Christian experience. How often,while endeavoring to walk in Jesus' footsteps, and to overcome