Is Satan the Boss of Hell?

This is another question which people, for the most part,  fail to answer correctly. To many, Satan comes and goes as he pleases from that place of punishment. But does the Bible say this?

Now Jude 1:6 (BBE) does say, "And the angels who did not keep to their kingdom but went out from the place which was theirs, he has put in eternal chains and in dark night till the great day of the judging."

Even so, we know that demons are working even today to sabotage God's plans. So not all of them are in chains.

But what of their leader? Scripture says that he testified against believers in heaven. Job 1:7 (BBE) speaks of a day when the Devil came in with the sons of God. "And the Lord said to the Satan, 'Where do you come from?' And the Satan said in answer, 'From wandering this way and that on the earth, and walking about on it.'"

We also read that the Devil was thrown out of heaven. When Christ's disciples came back from their first missionary trip and reported that even the demons were subject to them, Luke 10:18 (BBE) reports, "And he said, I was watching for Satan, falling from heaven like a star."

We also read of this fall in Revelation 12:7-9 (BBE). "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels going out to the fight with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels made war, And they were overcome, and there was no more place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was forced down, the old snake, who is named the Evil One and Satan, by whom all the earth is turned from the right way; he was forced down to the earth, and his angels were forced down with him."

We also have the promise that Satan will be eternally incarcerated in the lake of fire with his followers. Revelation 20:10 (BBE) assures us, "And the Evil One who put them in error was sent down into the sea of ever-burning fire, where the beast and the false prophet are, and their punishment will go on day and night for ever and ever."

It's plain then that Satan doesn't have the ability to go into and out of hell as people think. Neither is hell his kingdom but his eternal prison. What a joyous day that will be for those who love God!

I'll point out Satan's weaknesses in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? People tend to ascribe either too little or too much power to the Devil. I hope to set the record straight on that.

On Thursday, I'll blog about why there's no escape from hell.