Luke 8:31 could also be an expression that they thought they would be cast into punishment at that point, have you considered that?

The Abyss is a place of incarceration and certainly a place of punishment. Why are people incarcerated? ...... to be punished for their wrongdoing, to have restrictions placed upon them, and to have their freedom to do what they want, taken away from them. That is exactly what the demons feared in Luke 8:31......Their freedom to be taken away! And thats exactly what will happen to Satan in Revelation 20: 1-3, his freedom will be taken away. Its the same Greek word in both verses....Abussos.

Because of where this thread has went from my original post of "Books for sale" to where it is now. Im am being further impressed to share my Biblical findings of the 1000 year millennial age. I will be posting it here in three seperate posts. And encourage everyone here to critique my findings. I am not claiming any superior knowledge of Scripture, but I will say that my eyes have been opened by studying this subject and that verses in the past that were confusing, have come to life and make perfect sense. Thanks to everyone and God bless, John.

THE MILLENNIAL AGE This is the 1,000 year reign of Jesus and the Saints. (Jesus as the head and us as the rest of the body). During this time satan will be bound totally (Matthew 12:29, Mark 3:27, Revelation 20:1-3), authority will be given to Jesus and the Saints to judge the nations (1 Corinthians 6:2-3, Revelation 20:4-6). With no satanic temptation to draw the people aside, the nations will learn righteousness (Isaiah 11:9, Isa. 54:13, Jeremiah 31:34, Ezekiel 37:1-14, John 6:45, 1 Timothy 2:6, 1 Timothy 4:10, 1 Peter 4:6). The nation of Israel will be the chief among nations, illuminating the proper relationship with God. It is obvious from scripture that during this time of the Millennial Kingdom the state of things will be very different from now. The main points from scripture are: Satan is removed from power and locked up (Rev 20:1-3). Jerusalem shall be the earthly center of Christ's Kingdom (Isa. 2:1-4). There shall be universal peace on the earth (Isa. 2:1-4). Nature will be restored to harmony with man (Isa. 11:6-9) There will be no shortage of food for the earth's population (Isa. 25:6-8). There will be universal healing and protection from God (Isa. 32:1-4; Isa. 35:5-10). The knowledge of the Lord will be universal (Isaiah 11:9). The nations will be instructed in the ways of the Lord and the path to righteousness will be made easy for them (Isa. 2:1-4; Isa. 35:5-10). The Bible says," He who dies at the age of a hundred will be thought a mere youth" so our life expectancy will again increase. (Isa. 65:17-25). After this time of personal judgment, death itself will be defeated (Isa.25: 6-8).Any form of evil will not be tolerated (Revelation 2:26-27, Rev.20: 4-6) and all who refuse to learn righteousness will be punished quickly and justly. But those who learn righteousness will experience blessings and prosperity. Very quickly the nations will realize that it is "profitable" to obey the Lord. All who live during this 1000 year era will have learned the lesson of "sin" and "righteousness" for them selves.
At the end of this age there will be a short "season" in which satan will be given free reign to tempt the nations (Rev. 20:7-9). Those who are tempted and drawn aside from good will die for their own sin and be cast into the "lake of fire" with Satan and his angels (Rev. 20:12-15). This is the second death from which there is no hope of release. Those who withstand this temptation will go on to live forever in the new earth (Rev. 21:1). There are those who will say that a man would be a fool to fall into temptation in the very presence of Jesus, but we must remember that is exactly what Adam and Eve did.

The purpose of the Millennial Kingdom is to give every man and woman a personal opportunity to prove their loyalty to Jesus, and to reward the Lord and the saints and to restore creation to its pre-fall condition. In this present evil world we have only a limited choice. Firstly we are all automatically condemned to death because of Adam's sin. Secondly not all come to a knowledge of "the only name under heaven by which we may be saved" (Acts 4:12) - Jesus. But during the Millennial Kingdom this will not be so. Every person will be on trial for their own life, and all will know Jesus (Isa. 11:9, Jer. 31:34). Scripture also gives prophecy of the building of a physical temple.(Hag.2:6-9 NKJV)"For thus says the Lord of hosts: "Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and the dry land; 'and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,'says the Lord of hosts. 'The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,'says the Lord of hosts.'The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,'says the Lord of hosts.'And in this place I will give peace,'says the Lord of host." So it is clear in scripture that there is yet to come a literal physical temple of extreme glory to be built upon the coming of Lord Jesus to rule and reign, as both priest and king, on the throne of David in Jerusalem. These passages cannot be spiritualized. Israel and Judah are not one(Ezek.37:15-28; Jer.3:17,18), there is no peace,(Isa.2:1-4 Mic.4:1-4; Isa.9:6,7) the Lord has not yet shaken heaven and earth for the final time(Matt.24:29; Heb.12:26,27), and the Lord Jesus Christ has not been seen by all nations in His full glory(Matt.25:31,32; Mark 13:24-27). These prophecies remain yet to be fulfilled, and they are literal prophecies for the second coming and the millenial reign of Jesus Christ upon the throne of David over all the earth from Jerusalem. Finally when all God's plans are complete, Jesus will hand creation back to his Father (1 Corinthians 15:28) perfect in every way and thoroughly tried and proven, displaying to the host of heaven and creation, God's sovereignty over all. Then God himself will live with men forever as it was meant to be in the beginning (Revelation 22:1-7). In that age there will be no more death, no more pain or sorrow, no more suffering and no more evil. God himself will live with us, and he will not allow us to be hurt any more.

Key Verses Showing The Millennial Kingdom, On Earth..... Restoration Of The Kingdom-(Acts 1:6-8). Regeneration Of The Earth-(Matt.19:28). Christ Shall Have Dominion From Sea To Sea- (Psa.72:8,9; Zech.9:9,10). That The Land Of Israel Will Be Desolate And Waste, But Will Be Rebuilt, Jerusalem A Praise In The Earth- (Isa.Chapters 61&62). Throne Of David-(Luke 1:32,33; Acts 2:30). Measuring Of The Temple-(Ezek. Ch.40-42). The Kingdom On Earth- (Dan.2:44; 7:13,14,27; Matt.26:29; Luke 22:29,30). -Temple Will Be Built By The Lord-(Zech.6:12-15). We Shall Reign Upon The Earth- (Psalm 149; Rev.5:9,10) Key Verses Showing The Nature Of The Millennium Kingdom..... Peace-(Isa.2:4; 9:4-7; 11:6-9; 32:17,18; 33:5,6; 54:13; 55:12; 60:18; 65:25; 66:12; Ezek.28:26; 34:25,28; Hos.2:18; Mic.4:2,3; Zech.9:10). Joy-(Isa.9:3,4; 12:3-6; 14:7,8; 25:8,9; 30:29; 42:1, 10-12; 52:9; 60:15; 61:7,10; 65:18,19; 66:10-14; Jer.30:18,19;31:13,14; Zeph.3:14-17;Zech. 8:18,19; 10:6,7).Holiness-(Isa.1:26,27; 4:3,4; 29:18-23; 31:6,7; 35:8,9 52:1; 60:21; 61:10; Jer.31:23; Ezek.36:24-31; 37:23,24; 43:7-12; 45:1; Joel 3:21; Zeph.3:11,13; Zech.8:3; 13:1,2; 14:20,21).Glory-(Isa.4:2; 24:23 35:2; 40:5; 60;1-9).Comfort-(Isa.12:1,2; 29:22,23; 30:26; 40:1,2; 49:13; 51:3; 61:3-7; 66:13,14; Jer.31:23-25; Zeph.3-18-20; Zech.9:11,12; Rev. 21:4).Justice-(Isa.9:7; 11:5; 32:16; 42:1-4; 65:21-23; Jer.23:5; 31:23,29, 30).Full Knowledge-(Isa.11:1,2,9; 41:19,20; 54:13; Hab.2:14).Instruction (Isa.2:2,3; 12:3-6; 25:9; 29:17-24; 30:21,22; 32:3,4; 49:10; 52:8; Jer.3:14, 15; 23:1-4; Mic.4:2).The Removal Of The Curse-(Isa.11:6-9; 35:9; 65:25).Sickness Removed-(Isa.33:24; Jer.30:17; Ezek.34:16).Healing Of The Deformed-(Isa.29:17-19; 35:3-6; 61:1,2; Jer.31:8; Mic.4:6,7; Zeph.3: 19).Protection-(Isa.41:8-14; 62:8,9; Jer.32:27; 33:6; Ezek.34:27; Joel 3:16, 17; Amos 9:15; Zech.8:14,15; 9:8; 14:10,11).Freedom From Oppression- (Isa.14:3-6; 42:6,7; 49:8,9; Zech.9:11,12).Reproduction By The Living Peoples-(Jer.30:20; 31:29; Ezek.47:22; Zech.10:18).Labor-(Isa.62:8,9; 65:21-23; Jer.31:5; Ezek.48:18,19).Economic Prosperity-(Isa.4:1; 35:1,2, 7; 30:23-35; 62:8,9; 65:21-23; Jer.31:5,12; Ezek.34:26; 36:29,30; Mic.4:1, 4; Zech.8:11,12; 9:16,17; Joel 2:21-27; Amos 9:13,14).Increase Of Light- (Isa.4:5; 30:26; 60:19,20; Zech.2:5).Unified Language-(Zeph.3:9).Unified Worship-(Isa.45:23; 52:1,7-10; 66:17-23; Zech. 8:23; 13:2; 14:16; Zeph. 3:9; Mal.1:11; Rev.5:9-14).The Manifest Presence Of God-(Ezek.37:27, 28; Zech.2:2,10-13; Rev.21:3).The Fullness Of The Spirit-(Isa.32:13-15; 41:1; 44:3; 59:19,21; 61:1; Ezek.11:19,20; 36:26,27; 37:14; 39:29; Joel 2: 28,29).The Perpetuity Of The Millennial Spirit-(Joel 3:20; Amos 9:15; Ezek 37:26-28; Isa.51:6-8; 55:3,13; 56:5; 60:19,20; 61:8; Jer.32:40; Ezek. 16:60; 43:7-9; Dan.9:24; Hos.2:19-23)

No it couldn't be. 2 Peter 2:4 states the abyss existing from at least early on in creation, fallen angels being confined there until judgment because of their sin in Genesis 6:1-4. And the place is not the earth, but another place.


Shalom and Godspeed

I agree with truthseeker. The Lord shall reign on this earth for one thousand years after He returns. The earth will not be the abyss for the fallen angels. The earth shall be rebuilt and repopulated by those who are left after the Lord's coming with His saints and angels. There will have been much desolation and destruction and death, but some will come through to inherit the kingdom and it shall reign and cover the whole of the earth. This is scriptural. There is alot of scripture stating this truth, many many passages. Seek with an open heart for the truth, throw aside prejudices, and be like the Bereans who tested all things for the truth of scripture. If the millenial kingdom on this earth will not be, then many of God's promises to the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will not happen. One promise is stated in Ezekiel 36:33-38;

33 "Thus says the Lord God: 'On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt.
34" The desolate land will be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by.
35 'So they will say, 'This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden;and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.'
36 "Then the nations which are left all around you shall know that I , the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted what was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken it, and I will do it."
37 'Thus says the Lord God: "I will also let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do this for them: I will increase their men like a flock.
38 "Like a flock offered as holy sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem on its feast days, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they shall know that I Am the Lord."'"




This promise and prophecy of Ezekiel 36 is a prophecy mainly concerning Israel, as a nation, at the end of the age, at the return of the Lord jesus Christ, the Son of God. Israel is still under the chaJtisement of God at this time, this prophecy is of the end of the age , the beginning of the Lord Jesus' reign in all His power and glory on this earth, the millenial kingdom. Ezekiel 36 has not been fulfilled as of yet. There is alot of scripture showing forth the truth of the millenial kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ on this earth for the thousand years.


Shalom and Godspeed

Well said - that's a real goodie, Woodie. :)

Let me answer it for you with some historical background as well as with some first hand testimony from someone who has been in the White Estate and has a personal knowledge of the facts.

By the turn of the 20th century, the aging Ellen White had amassed a large database of published and unpublished manuscripts. This collection also included many private letters and documents about the great 1888 debate that had destroyed the Battle Creek Empire and sent the General Conference headquarters and the Review in full retreat to Takoma Park, Maryland.

It was Ellen White's wish that after her death these materials, especially those about 1888, would be published for the benefit of the church. But after her death, the General Conference gained control of her documents and refused, over the protest of her son W. C. White, to honor her last will and testament in this regard. In fact, rather than publish this large database and explain to the church Ellen White's involvement and view of the 1888 debate, the General Conference President, A.G, Daniels, instituted a very rigid policy of censorship that was intended to suppress a large portion of Ellen White's writings and keep the controversial history of 1888 hidden from the church.

So from the very beginning of the White Estate the church leaders were suppressing a large portion of Ellen White's writings.

However, by the middle of the 20th century two SDA missionaries by the name of Weiland and Short accused the White Estate of not being forthright and honest about the contents of Ellen Whites large database that was housed in the Takoma Park. They accused the White Estate of suppressing Ellen White's writings about the 1888 debate and embarked on a lifelong campaign to set the record straight about the 1888 debate and make sure that no SDA ever forgot the importance of this critical period in church history that Ellen White has said was so important to understand.

In an attempt to deal with the growing criticism from these two missionaries, the White Estate slowly released more information about the infamous 1888 debate that had captured the fascination of both Weiland and Short. But these two critics were still not satisfied with the less than forthright release of Ellen White's materials from the church, and thus they continued to accuse the White Estate of withholding documents.

They became so persistent in their criticism that by 1971 they goaded LeRoy Froom into writing his epic tome about 1888 called Movement of Destiny. This work was meant to silence their criticism and set the record straight about Ellen White and the 1888 history. But it only made things worse.

However, it was in this official work that Froom acknowledges that Daniels had indeed suppressed Ellen White's 1888 materials. And that as President, he had explained the cover up to the young Froom in the "spring of 1930" and charged him with the responsibility to fully explain the 1888 history when the time was appropriate, that is, after Daniels and many others has passed from the scene.

So there is a published admission about the official cover up of Ellen White's writings on the record for all to see in Movement of Destiny. And thus it is a fact that Daniels hid the record of the 1888 debate in the White Estate and other places, and suppressed thousands of Ellen White's documents in the process.

But the problem became more complex because Froom failed to end the cover-up as Daniels had instructed him. His explanation about 1888 fell flat, and so too did his source material, some of which he dishonestly claimed no longer existed. In fact, although Froom had full access to the White Estate vault, he failed to honestly deal with the large collection of Ellen White's unpublished materials, and virtually ignored thousands of documents that did not fit with his version of things. Thus he refused to tell the truth about this divisive Gospel debate, leaving the original cover-up in place, along side a second one of his own making that made matters even worse.

Not surprisingly, Froom's fraudulent account of 1888 did nothing to stop the growing criticism from Weiland and Short, which by now was gaining traction within the church. Thus Froom's official attempt to resolve the questions about Ellen White and 1888, along with the associated issues about "Righteousness by Faith," solved nothing, even as it generated more debate and confusion within the church.

Consequently, his book set the stage for the divisive Righteousness by Faith debates that consumed and polarized the Adventist Community for the next decade until the church leaders called a halt to the discussion at Glacier View in 1980. This Machiavellian trial is where the church forced all to either support the denominations version of 1888 as well as the Ellen White's theology as promoted by the White Estate, or leave the church. This was the beginning of a large schism that has seriously divided and crippled the SDA Community to this very day.

Although Weiland or Short never gained access into the secretive White Estate vaults, an independent researcher by the name of Tom Norris received permission to go where no critics had ever been allowed. Why? Because Arthur White had recently retired, replaced by Robert W. Olsen as the new CEO of the White Estate. And because Norris had made some stunning discoveries about 1888 in the newly formed General Conference Archives, right down the hall from the White Estate. Moreover, to the surprise of everyone, this authentic account in the Archives was in sharp contrast with what Froom and the White Estate had been promoting about Ellen White and her 1888 theology.

Consequently, Dr. Don Yost, and others, concluded that these new discoveries required further research and verification. Therefore, over the objections of the now retired Arthur White, an independent researcher, for the first time in church history, was given full access into the secretive vaults where Ellen White's material has been so zealous guarded and kept hidden from all but a handful of loyal church workers.

To make a long and exciting story short, Tom Norris discovered that Arthur White had been hiding thousands of documents about the 1888 debate that told a very different story from what Froom and the White Estate had been teaching. In fact, there was a completely different version of church history hiding in the vault that was in sharp contrast to the official 1888 story, and thus the discovery in the Archives was confirmed in the White Estate. Furthermore, some of the actual documents from the 1888 debate that Froom, the White Estate, and the Review had claimed no longer existed, were found residing in the files.

More than that, there were thousands of rare Ellen White documents from the 1888 period that were discovered hidden in the White Estate. Here was a large and stunning collection of 1888 materials that had been deliberately hidden from the church all these years. No wonder Arthur White tried to keep the White Estate off limits to any researchers or scholars. He, and Froom, and others, had been perpetrating a massive fraud on the Adventist Community.

Although this historic discovery took place in 1978-79, just before Glacier View, the leaders were in no mood to admit that such a major scandal was taking place. Besides, the conservatives were in control and such a discovery would destroy their agenda to eliminate the evangelicals and promote their legalistic version of Ellen White's theology that they had so badly misunderstood.

So a third cover-up of Ellen White's 1888 materials took place as the leaders concealed this astonishing discovery in the White Estate from the Adventist Community. The General Conference failed to publicize what had taken place so that they could go forward with their conservative program to use Ellen White's writings as the means of removing Dr. Ford and the evangelical minded SDA's. And that is what happened at Glacier View in 1980, shortly after the discovery of this hidden collection in the basement of the church headquarters. Neither the Adventist Community nor the scholars were informed about this new discovery of Ellen White's 1888 materials that would have shed great light on all the disputed points under discussion. The leaders kept this critical and important information hidden.

Following Glacier View, and the exile of the Gospel minded scholar Dr. Ford, the legalistic conservatives went on a rampage to purge the church of the SDA evangelicals that refused to submit to the official 1888 theology of the White Estate and the Review. The leaders also, for the first time in church history, developed a creed called the 27 Fundamentals, which they now required all to support or leave the church. Ten's of thousands of the best and brightest members left the denomination in anger and confusion because there was no room for questioning, or debate, much less for the Protestant Gospel. The conservatives had taken control of the denomination. And they did so in the name of Ellen White.

After the first wave of schism emptied the church of the most educated and evangelical minded things became more subdued and quiet. The debates about doctrine and church history were over and most everyone knew that Glacier View had been a great blunder. But there were more backlashes to come. In fact, by 1982, many of the conservatives, thanks to Walter Rea and his book "The White Lie," had been stunned to learn that the White Estate had not been honest about Ellen White's method of writing or her authority. And this damaging news sent a second wave of schism through the church as the conservatives now questioned everything that they had been taught by the White Estate. The SDA church was now in a full-blown crisis of identity as both the evangelicals and the conservatives were confused, disoriented, and disappointed with Adventist theology and history. Here was a major crisis that parallels the great Battle Creek debacle that had ruined the church in the last century.

The church leaders were understandably fearful that if something were not done, the church would once again collapse. Subsequently they adopted a plan to try and regain both the evangelicals and the conservatives and to quietly back away from Glacier View theology that had misused Ellen White as the basis for its authority and credibility. Although the leaders refused to admit that they had made any mistakes, this new policy called "pluralism" was an admission that Glacier View theology was not credible and that forcing the evangelicals out of the church was a serious mistake.

During the decade following Glacier View, the White Estate knew that they still had a serious problem. Although they had now backed away from using Ellen White as an authority to promote legalism, what were they to do about the hidden 1888 documents that were still unexplained in their vault? After all, a number of denominational employees, including an independent researcher, knew that these hidden materials were there. How much longer could this secret be kept? Something had to be done because every day that passed risked discovery. So they came up with a plan to dump these materials on the church in an obvious attempt to exonerate themselves from the fraud of Arthur White. And this is what they did.

Almost a decade after Glacier View, while the church was still dealing with the aftermath of Walter Rea, the White Estate saw the perfect opportunity to publish the hidden 1888 materials without calling attention to the long running cover up. Thus the 1888 Centennial became the perfect opportunity to clean their hands of this hidden scandal that was far larger than anything that Walter Rea, or anyone had envisioned.

So in 1987, the Review and the Pacific Press published the 1888 materials that Tom Norris had discovered in the White Estate. Here for the first time, thousands of hidden documents about 1888 were made public. But it was too late to save the church from years of misguided debate and painful schism. And besides, the White Estate was not confessing to anything, nor did they even intend to inform the Adventist Community about the meaning or the contents of this new collection of Ellen White documents that had suddenly and inexplicably been published so many years AFTER Glacier View.

The White Estate had no intention of setting the record straight and teaching the church about the true history of the 1888 debate. Thus they admitted that this new collection of 1888 materials was not meant to be a "compendium on the subject of righteousness by faith." While it did include "those sermons in which reference was made to the Minneapolis conference," it ignored many other Ellen White materials about "justification and sanctification by faith in the years following 1888."

The amount of hidden materials was so large that it required 5 large volumes. This more than 2,000 page collection was organized chronologically, as each document was identified "by date, reference, and title or addressee." There was even "a listing of persons addressed in this collection" along with their official "position held during the time of the communication and an index to document location." The dates covered, and the page numbers of the first four volumes are as follows: