1 Nephi 22

(January 20, 2014)
This chapter contains one of the most hopeful evidences of our capacity as Children of God that exists in the scriptures.  When we think of the Millennium, we usually think of Satan being bound as a consequence of Michael coming down with a host of angels armed with weapons and tossing him into a pit somewhere.  But that is not how Satan is destined to be bound (and, when we think about it, it makes sense that it is not a physical battle of some sort).

Instead, verse 26 teaches us how it will happen.  Satan is bound because the people become so righteous that he will have no power over them.  Think about that for a moment – we look at Satan rampaging throughout the world, and we can have faith that his power is limited because of the capacity of the saints in general (through Christ) to bring about a world sufficiently righteous to render him impotent.

If the saints can accomplish this collectively through Christ, it only makes sense that we can accomplish this individually through Christ.  Our task, while large, is not hopeless.  Satan can be bound and rendered powerless in our lives as well – not at the point of an angelic sword, but through the righteousness that can be ours drop by drop over the course of a lifetime of obedience and service.