A common position among preterists, at least on here, is that Satan is currently bound and unable to act. As best as I can tell, this position seems to come from Revelation 20:1-3.
Here are some problems I have with this view:
1) Revelation is a highly symbolic book with probably almost as many interpretations as there are sandwich combinations at Subway. The idea that Satan is bound means that you have the proper interpretation of Revelation as a whole, and of that particular symbolism. How sure can you be that that verse means that Satan is literally bound right now?
2) A bound Satan would imply that James 4:7 (resist the devil and he will flee from you) is outdated. Now, that's plausible because James was probably the first book written in the New Testament and Revelation was certainly written after James. But are we sure enough that we are willing to set aside that particular verse? If so, it would have great practical implications. I personally believe in an active spiritual world, with forces for good and evil out there. We shouldn't be willing to dismiss this unless we are very sure. In other words, this is not simply an academic, hypothetical debate over the meaning of the text; it matters in the real world.
3) Colossians 2:14-15 already says that the devil has lost and been defeated with the resurrection of Jesus. But as we see from James, that didn't mean Satan was unable to do anything diabolical after the resurrection. This suggests to me that we need to not take statements about the defeat of the devil *too* literally prior to Jesus's second coming. It could be that Revelation means that the devil's doom is a sure thing at this point in time.
4) Even if the devil is literally bound, Revelation 20 says that he will be released again for a short time. Proponents of the "devil is bound" idea don't seem to emphasize this part. It would be prudent to warn people of this possibility so believers are not caught off guard.
Here are some problems I have with this view:
1) Revelation is a highly symbolic book with probably almost as many interpretations as there are sandwich combinations at Subway. The idea that Satan is bound means that you have the proper interpretation of Revelation as a whole, and of that particular symbolism. How sure can you be that that verse means that Satan is literally bound right now?
2) A bound Satan would imply that James 4:7 (resist the devil and he will flee from you) is outdated. Now, that's plausible because James was probably the first book written in the New Testament and Revelation was certainly written after James. But are we sure enough that we are willing to set aside that particular verse? If so, it would have great practical implications. I personally believe in an active spiritual world, with forces for good and evil out there. We shouldn't be willing to dismiss this unless we are very sure. In other words, this is not simply an academic, hypothetical debate over the meaning of the text; it matters in the real world.
3) Colossians 2:14-15 already says that the devil has lost and been defeated with the resurrection of Jesus. But as we see from James, that didn't mean Satan was unable to do anything diabolical after the resurrection. This suggests to me that we need to not take statements about the defeat of the devil *too* literally prior to Jesus's second coming. It could be that Revelation means that the devil's doom is a sure thing at this point in time.
4) Even if the devil is literally bound, Revelation 20 says that he will be released again for a short time. Proponents of the "devil is bound" idea don't seem to emphasize this part. It would be prudent to warn people of this possibility so believers are not caught off guard.
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