Before we explore what to watch for regarding Satan’s return, let’s address a false doctrine that has spread through many Christian churches.

In the eighteen thirties, a woman named Margaret MacDonald had a troubling dream. By her own admission, she believed the dream to be evil. However, two preachers heard about it and saw it as an opportunity. They thought, “We can profit from this idea. People will embrace it because it offers an easy escape.”

These preachers selectively quoted single verses of Scripture, ignoring the context and surrounding passages. They interpreted symbolic language literally, crafting their own teaching. This doctrine, known as the “fly away doctrine,” has since spread widely and is considered one of Satan’s most powerful deceptions. It suggests that when Satan arrives, he will masquerade as Jesus, claiming to take believers away into the air. Many will follow him, mistaking him for Jesus Christ.

God foresaw the rise of this deception. This is why He declared in Ezekiel 13:20 (Authorized King James Version): “Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.”

In the coming sections, we will go deeper into the timing of this so-called rapture and its connection to Satan’s return. However, before proceeding, let’s address a frequently asked question:

Is hell real? The Bible describes hell in four distinct ways:

A place for those who sleep – When the flesh body dies, it returns to dust, never to rise again.
A sepulcher – The grave where bodies are laid to rest and decay.
Gehenna – Referred to by Jesus as a burning garbage pit, symbolizing destruction.
The abode of fallen angels – A place where the rebellious angels are confined.

Each description offers insight into the nature of hell and reinforces the need for vigilance against deception. More will be revealed as we continue this exploration.

To answer the question, yes, hell is real in the sense described above, but it should not be confused with the Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire will only come into existence after God’s judgment. For those who do not make it to Heaven, God’s consuming fire will cause them to cease to exist, and their names will be blotted out of the Book of Life.

Here’s an analogy from Scripture about the Lake of Fire. It is compared to the fat of a lamb dripping onto a fire. When the fat falls into the flames, it burns and turns into smoke that rises forever. However, this does not mean people burn forever. The phrase “burning forever and ever” is a Hebrew idiom, meaning they are completely and permanently destroyed. As it is written, they are turned to ashes from within. No one would remember or mourn them, so there would be no sorrow in eternity.

To clarify further, consider this analogy: if you light a cigarette and let it burn, it turns to ashes. Are those ashes permanent? Yes. Can you reassemble them to form the cigarette again and keep burning? No. The destruction is final.

So why do some churches continue to teach that people will burn forever? Simply put, it’s often used as a fear tactic to maintain control over congregations. Some churches imply that unless you give money and follow their teachings, you will face eternal torment. In my opinion, a congregation should be united by the truth of God’s word, not by fear or misinterpretations of Hebrew idioms.

Let’s apply some common sense here. You live as a human for a finite number of years. If you make mistakes and fail to repent, does it make sense that you would suffer eternal torment? Is that the nature of a loving God? This false teaching about burning forever has turned countless people away from Christianity.

Another question often arises: does the Lake of Fire exist now? As it is written, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. The Lake of Fire will only exist after God’s judgment. Currently, there is a gulf (or chasm) in paradise separating those who have reached Heaven by believing in Jesus and repenting, from those who have not.

In the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, it is written that the rich man could see Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham but could not cross over to join him. For those on the wrong side of the gulf, existence feels like wandering through an endless maze. Being in angelic bodies, they cannot die, yet they remain thirsty with nothing to drink and hungry with nothing to eat. No amount of suffering, prayer, or wealth can free them from this place.

It is important to clarify that this should not be confused with the man-made doctrine of purgatory. According to some interpretations, purgatory is a place where souls who die in God’s grace but are not fully purified are cleansed of their imperfections to achieve the holiness required to enter Heaven.

Others claim that purgatory involves pain or discomfort and that the prayers of the living can aid in their release. However, this is a man-made teaching not found in the original Biblical manuscripts. Historically, the doctrine of purgatory was promoted to encourage financial donations to the church, with the promise that such contributions could help loved ones transition out of purgatory. Scholars who adhere to the true word of God often view this doctrine as sacrilegious.

Ultimately, those on the wrong side of the gulf must remain there until the millennium, where they will have the opportunity to learn about love, discipline, and Jesus Christ.

What is the millennium, and when does it begin? The millennium is a period of one thousand human years, or one day in the Lord’s time, and it begins with the return of Jesus Christ.