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Moreover, many people believe that when God says the "nations" won't be deceived, then they insisted that it literally means the nations won't be deceived.
That's an overly simplistic approach, with only one problem. God didn't say (or inspire written) the nations won't be deceived, He inspired written that the [ethnos] wouldn't be deceived. The word translated nations is an "ethnonym," or a name applied to an ethnic group that is foreign to the Jewish people--which is why it is also translated, Gentile. This truth can be clearly seen in passages such as Romans 3:29 where the Jew is evaluated or measured against the [ethnos] or Gentile.
Romans 3:29-30
Here God is measuring the Jew in relationship to the non-Jew or [ethnos], the same word you see in Revelation 20 translated Nations. "Is He the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Nations?" Clearly, the word measures the Jew with the non-Jew as both under one God. It's not measured Jews against nations, all throughu Scripture the Jews were a nation also. It's saying not only the Jewish nation, but the Gentiles as well.
Thus Revelation 20;3 is illustrating that the Messenger from heaven who laid hold upon Satan and cast him into the bottomless pit, setting a seal (security) upon him so that he should not deceive the Gentiles anymore, is the Lord Jesus Christ. Why does He do this? Because Salvation is "now" going out in a great way to the Gentiles also in the New Covenant dispensation.
Acts 13:46
Again, salvation going to the non-Jews (Gentiles), as contrasted with it first going to the Jews. That's what the word of God is illustrating. Moreover, if Revelation 20:3 literally meant Satan could not deceive the physical nations anymore for 1000 years, that would be an automatic contradiction, because there will never be a time when all the nations of the earth are saved, and therefore there will never be a time when Satan is not deceiving the nations in that way. Obviously it doesn't mean Satan doesn't deceive literal nations, literal kingdoms or governments. It refers to the non-jews who were previously without the Covenants of promise that Israel had, now having Satan's power to mislead and delude them, removed.
Revelation 20:3
The only people who Satan was bound so that he wouldn't deceive them is the elect gentiles who join the Holy Nation (1st Peter 2:9), those who the Spirit of truth has removed the scales from their eyes in New Testament Revelation. For example in Acts God says by Christ's work salvation is sent to the Gentiles/Nations.
Acts 28:28
That word ethnos here could just as easily be translated nations as it is in Revelation, meaning non-jew. It's the same word with the exact same meaning in contrast to the Jews. Because Christ bound Satan, salvation is now going to the non-Jews, not to nations, kingdoms or governments as we understand the word nation. When God speaks about not deceiving the nations, He is talking about "these" Gentiles of Acts 28:28 to whom salvation is sent.
That's an overly simplistic approach, with only one problem. God didn't say (or inspire written) the nations won't be deceived, He inspired written that the [ethnos] wouldn't be deceived. The word translated nations is an "ethnonym," or a name applied to an ethnic group that is foreign to the Jewish people--which is why it is also translated, Gentile. This truth can be clearly seen in passages such as Romans 3:29 where the Jew is evaluated or measured against the [ethnos] or Gentile.
Romans 3:29-30
- "Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
- Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith."
Here God is measuring the Jew in relationship to the non-Jew or [ethnos], the same word you see in Revelation 20 translated Nations. "Is He the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Nations?" Clearly, the word measures the Jew with the non-Jew as both under one God. It's not measured Jews against nations, all throughu Scripture the Jews were a nation also. It's saying not only the Jewish nation, but the Gentiles as well.
Thus Revelation 20;3 is illustrating that the Messenger from heaven who laid hold upon Satan and cast him into the bottomless pit, setting a seal (security) upon him so that he should not deceive the Gentiles anymore, is the Lord Jesus Christ. Why does He do this? Because Salvation is "now" going out in a great way to the Gentiles also in the New Covenant dispensation.
Acts 13:46
- " Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles."
Again, salvation going to the non-Jews (Gentiles), as contrasted with it first going to the Jews. That's what the word of God is illustrating. Moreover, if Revelation 20:3 literally meant Satan could not deceive the physical nations anymore for 1000 years, that would be an automatic contradiction, because there will never be a time when all the nations of the earth are saved, and therefore there will never be a time when Satan is not deceiving the nations in that way. Obviously it doesn't mean Satan doesn't deceive literal nations, literal kingdoms or governments. It refers to the non-jews who were previously without the Covenants of promise that Israel had, now having Satan's power to mislead and delude them, removed.
Revelation 20:3
- "And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season."
The only people who Satan was bound so that he wouldn't deceive them is the elect gentiles who join the Holy Nation (1st Peter 2:9), those who the Spirit of truth has removed the scales from their eyes in New Testament Revelation. For example in Acts God says by Christ's work salvation is sent to the Gentiles/Nations.
Acts 28:28
- "Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it."
That word ethnos here could just as easily be translated nations as it is in Revelation, meaning non-jew. It's the same word with the exact same meaning in contrast to the Jews. Because Christ bound Satan, salvation is now going to the non-Jews, not to nations, kingdoms or governments as we understand the word nation. When God speaks about not deceiving the nations, He is talking about "these" Gentiles of Acts 28:28 to whom salvation is sent.
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