Satan's Kingdom

 


Driving through Massachusetts, I pulled up Google Maps to help navigate, as George was getting increasingly frustrated with the route recalculating that his kept doing.

To my surprise, Satan's Kingdom popped up as a nearby location.   I laughed and curiosity led me to research the area.

It turns out there are a few possible explanations.  

One story says that a pastor gave a particularly strong fire and brimstone sermon in which he warned that the people's sins were going to land them in the fires of Satan's Kingdom.  As they were leaving church, they saw a forest fire sweeping through the area on the other side of the Connecticut River. One man pointed out it must be Satan's Kingdom like the pastor had just been speaking about.

Another story suggests the woods were a gathering place for ruffians and criminals.  

Regardless, I kept thinking about how nice it would be to be given maps that clearly showed the boundaries of Satan's Kingdom so we could stay away.  That's not quite how it works. 

In Helaman 3:28-30 we read:

28Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God.

29Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—

30And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go no more out.

How wonderful it is that His word and the Holy Ghost will tell us where those boundaries are.  What is good and what is evil.  So that God's Kingdom is truly available to everyone.  And Satan can be miserable in his kingdom by himself.

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