Thus is it with the saints and their enemy. They shall take the kingdom, and in the kingdom Satan shall have no place. Out of the trials which he had raised around them and against them, they come forth to wear their crowns, and sing their songs. And, instead of his appearing again "among the sons of God," the mighty angel shall lay hold on him, and cast him into the bottomless pit.³² ³² It has been observed by another, that Satan is _always_ defeated. This thought seems to get the most striking confirmations from Scripture, beyond the cases mentioned above. He is the instrument, the willing instrument, of destroying the flesh; but that destruction ends in _the saving of the spirit_. 1 Cor. v. 5. He receives, gladly receives, one that is judicially delivered over to him; but all that ends in _such an one learning not to blaspheme_. 1 Tim. i. 20. He sends forth his messengers as thorns in the flesh, delighting to do so, as being bent on mischief, having been "a murderer from the beginning;" but this still works good, for _the servant of Christ is thereby kept from undue exaltation_. 2 Cor. xii. 7. These are illustrious exhibitions of the devil being _always_ defeated. Because they show this--that he lends himself directly to his own overthrow. His own weapon is turned against himself. The one whom he assails is, by the very assault, given strength or virtue against him. Happy assurance! our great adversary is never victorious! It is the pricks he kicks against. This is full of blessing--and this is millennial blessing, shadowed here in this beautiful story. But there is more. There will be no question in the millennial heavens about the saints, as there was about Adam in the garden, and about Job in the beginning of this Book. The tree of knowledge tested the creature whom God had just made. But in the age of the resurrection, in the heavens where Job and all the children of the resurrection will be, there will be no such test. There will be no question about man. There will be silence in heaven as to man, for the great Kinsman has answered all questions, and man is glorified there.