the grave, neither does it signify the Second Death,
symbolized by the “lake of fire and brimstone;” but
it does signify the air or atmosphere of earth.
(2) They have some liberties in this imprisoned
condition, yet they are chained, or restrained, in one
respea-they are not permitted to exercise their powers
in the light being “under chains of darkness.”
(3) This restriAion was to continue unfil “the
judgment of the great day,” the great Millenial
Day-in
all a period of over 4,000 years As we are
now in the dawning of the Millennial Day-“the
great
is possible that this should be understood to
day”-it
mean that some of these limitations as to “darkness”
may ere long be removed, gradually If so, if the
“chains of darkness” should be released, it would per-
mit these evil spirits to work deceptions or “lying
wonders” in the daylight (as they are now attempting
to do) to the delusion of mankind more than ever has
been known since the flood.
These fallen angels, or demons, are not to be con-
founded with Satan the prince of demons, or devils,
whose evil career began long before – who was the
first, and for a long time the only, enemy of thedivine
government; who, having been created an angel of a
superior order, sought to establish hirnse,lf as a rival
to the Almighty, and to deceive and ensnare Adam
and his race to be his servants; and to a large extent,
for a time at least, he has succeeded, as all know. As
“the prince of this world,” who “now worketh in the
hearts of the children of disobedience,” he has indeed
a very multitudinous host of deceived and enslaved
followers. Naturally he would appreciate the deflec-
tion of the “angels who kept not their first estate,”