Is the bottomless pit a real place, or is it a reference to Satan on a leash.
Satan is on a leash right now, and can only influence so much in the world, and cannot influence with all his deception.
Good day Matt!
You are correct! Regarding your concern above, that if Satan is the prince of the power of the air, then how can he be in the Abyss in order to have to come out of it at a future time? The answer to that, is that Satan is not the beast referred to as the one being in the Abyss, but is referring to another fallen angel who once was out in the world, but at some point was Imprisoned in the Abyss.
At the sounding of the 5th trumpet we are given the information regarding these demonic beings representing locusts with tails and stings like that of a scorpion. In Rev.9:11 it states that these demonic beings have a ruler over them, the angel of the Abyss. Since we know that scripture states that Satan roams about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour and that we as believers are warned to take up our shields of faith in order to quell his arrows, then he can't possibly be the angel of that is currently restricted in the Abyss.
In further support of this beast currently being restricted in the Abyss, Rev.11:11 tells us that the beast will come up out of the Abyss and will kill the two witnesses. Likewise Rev.17:8 says "The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet
will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The meaning here is that both scriptures show that he will be coming up out of the Abyss demonstrating that he is currently in there. In addition to this, the following scriptures demonstrate that Satan and the beast of the Abyss, as being two individual entities as can be seen from the following:
"The dragon/Satan gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority."
"People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against him?”
In Rev.9:1-2, we see that a key is required to open the Abyss, which means that unless it is opened nothing can come out or go in. Likewise in Rev.20:1-3, we see another angel that, after throwing Satan into the Abyss, it requires a key to lock it back up again.
Also, as Nehemiah was saying, the Abyss is a literal place that is underneath the earth. In support of this, John says that a star/angel had fallen from heaven to the earth and was given the key to the Abyss, where at which time he opens the shaft to the Abyss. The fact that he fell from heaven to the earth would demonstrate that it is not a black hole, but is an opening on the earths surface which leads down into the bowels of the earth and is where these demonic locusts come out of.
In regards to the Abyss being a literal place, we have other scriptures which support this. Consider the following:
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"They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. When Jesus stepped ashore, He was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothing or lived in a house, but he stayed in the tombs.
When the man saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before Him, shouting in a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You not to torture me!” For Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was bound with chains and shackles, he had broken the chains and been driven by the demon into solitary places.
“What is your name?” Jesus asked.
“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him.
And the demons kept begging Jesus not to order them to go into the Abyss.
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In conclusion, Satan is and has been out and about continuing to deceive the inhabitants of the earth. In opposition, this beast who is the angel of the Abyss, will come out at the sounding of the 5th trumpet when the Abyss is opened by that angel. At that time Satan figuratively as the dragon, will give his power, great authority and his throne to the beast. I believe that this beast who comes up out of the Abyss will be the power behind the antichrist, the man of lawlessness.