Click or Tap Icons to Share! Thank you!

Authored By  :
Published On :
Last Updated :



Following the Flood, Satan continued to resist God by trying to build up his own kingdom through such incidents as Nimrod and the Tower of Babel. Throughout the Old Testament, we see that foul fiend repeatedly trying to destroy the children of Israel, and in particular, the lineage of King David, through which Jesus would eventually be born. Consider, for example, the story of the Jewish heroine Queen Esther, who protected her people from the evil Haman. Through an act of deceit, he tried to trick Persian King Ahasuerus/Xerxes into destroying all of the Jews within his vast empire which stretched from India to Ethiopia. Thankfully, Satan failed, and Haman found himself hanging on the very gallows he had prepared for dear Mordecai, who was the uncle of Queen Esther.

Despite that Evil Usurper's many failed attempts to frustrate God's wonderful Plan Of Salvation -- I have only mentioned a few examples in this series -- Jesus was born precisely on time, and precisely in the place where He was supposed to be born, in direct fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies which are found in God's Word. Consider the following example which is found in the Book of the Prophet Micah. It finds its fulfillment in the Gospel of Matthew. Please notice that even the verse references are similar:

"But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."


"And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel."


As we have already discussed in parts three and four of this series, having failed for four thousand years to stop God's Plan, that evil Demon of Darkness then attempted to snuff out young Jesus' life through the atrocities which were committed by the Roman puppet, vain and evil King Herod the Great. But again, it was a dismal failure on the Devil's part, because Joseph, Mary and young Jesus fled to Egypt, after they had been warned by God in a dream.

This brings us to another interesting point. As I have also mentioned in other articles, it seems to me that Satan might not be aware of the future; that is, he is not omnipresent. If this is indeed so, then he cannot peer into the future like God can. As I explain in "Satan: King of Tyrus, King of Empires!", being that he is a spiritual entity, I believe that he is not subject to time or space. Thus, while he is able to exist through time, he cannot actually move through time. So perhaps he is still forced to second-guess God. In fact, you may recall that Jesus made it clear that not even the Angels are aware of God's full plans until He actually carries them out. Consider these example Scriptures which prove this point:

"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."


"Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into."


The fact that the Angels desire to look into things reveals that they must not know everything. In fact, contrary to what some people may believe, once we each have received our Resurrection Bodies, we won't know everything yet either. We will still be learning and growing spiritually in the Next Life. It is for this very reason that we are told that God's whole Plan of Salvation is a Mystery which is only meant to be understood by those to whom He chooses to reveal it; as we see by the following verses:

"In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight."


"And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:"


"For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in."


"Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,"


"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory . . . But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God."


"Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:"


"And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:"


"And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,"


"Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:"


"To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:"


"That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;"


"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."


"But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets."


Today, because we have God's Word, as well as the historical record behind us, we understand that the Mystery is actually the Mystery of Salvation and Resurrection into a new life in the Spirit, which was put into effect when Jesus died on the Cross, and rose from the dead three days later, in accordance with His Father's long-range plans and Will. Consider these additional verses:

"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."


"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."


Sadly, today, just like the hopeless Sadducees of old who refused to believe in anything spiritual, there are still so many people in the world who as a result of their sins of pride, vanity, arrogance, haughtiness and sinful rebellion, have had their understanding darkened; so much so that they consider the preaching of the Christian Gospel -- including the Resurrection from the dead -- to be utter foolishness and madness. Consider the following verses:

"The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,"


"Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,"


"Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,"


"But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both."


"And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad."


"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."


"Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened."


To continue then, it seems possible that initially, Satan may not have realized the "error" in his plan. As we have already discussed, after inciting the unbelieving Jews to verbally persecute the Lord throughout the duration of His ministry, Satan finally influenced the Sanhedrin, Judas and Pontius Pilate to crucify the Son of Man. Unbeknownst to him at the time, the Devil helped to accomplish exactly what had been a part of God's great Mystery all along. In short, it would seem that God used Satan's ignorance of the future to bring about his own defeat when Jesus rose from the dead, and then returned to the Earth forty years later to put His house in order. As we learned in part five, that is when He defeated the Antichrist, and banished wicked Satan to the Bottomless Pit. Consider the following interesting verses:

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."


"And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."


"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:"


"Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."


"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,"


"But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom."


"Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;"


"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."


"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."


As you can see, we are told that Jesus is set down at the Right Hand of God on His own throne. He is God the Father's right hand man, and the next in authority. This is obviously a position which Jesus fully deserves, considering what He did for us all. The Scriptures make clear that the Throne which God had promised to His Son, is the Throne of David, as we see by the following two verses:

"He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:"


"Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;"


Having acquired His Kingdom, and His mandate from His own Father, we know that Jesus worked to subdue all spiritual entities who opposed His and His Father's rule, beginning with Satan and the Antichrist. After the Devil was cast out of Heaven by Michael and the Angelic Host which followed him, he made the mistake of assuming that he could simply possess the evil Antichrist, and set up his earthly throne in Jerusalem. It must have seemed like the perfect plan to him. After all, as we learned in part one, even Jesus said that the unbelieving Jews were the Devil's evil spawn. That this great war in the Spirit occurred is made evident by verses such as the following:

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."


"Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all."


"Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day."


"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean."


While Jesus has indeed overcome not only this world, but has also taken charge of His spiritual Kingdom, subdued Satan and all evil spiritual entities and potentates -- as per all of the previous verses -- I personally believe that God's great Mystery still remains to be completed in full. Why is this? Quite simply, because while Jesus' Death made it possible for us to restore our relationship with God the Father, and even though He restored balance to the Divine Order by defeating His Father's enemies, insofar as this world is concerned, we all know that there are still many more souls which need to be saved, who upon experiencing physical death, will join God the Father and Jesus Christ in their spiritual Kingdom. This ongoing harvest is an issue which I also discuss in "In the Ages to Come".

In the previous verse that is found in the Gospel of Matthew, the word "regeneration" is quite interesting and has a very profound meaning. It is translated from the Greek word "paliggenesia" which is defined as new birth, reproduction, renewal, recreation and regeneration. In a companion article entitled "Once Upon a Time: A True Story", I discuss some startling personal revelations concerning these topics. I hope that you will find time to read it.

Please also notice that in the previous verse that is found in the second chapter of the Book of Acts, the Apostle Peter says "according to the flesh". As many of you will already know, Jesus was indeed a descendant of King David, according to the flesh. However, while He was born in the flesh just as you and I are, we all know that He became the Firstfruits of the Resurrection, so that someday, we too might follow in His footsteps and enter a new life in the Spirit. Consider the following verses:

"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."


"If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming."


"Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature . . . And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence."


"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood . . . I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."


So again, just as Jesus and all of the Believers of previous ages now live for evermore, so shall we too someday follow in their footsteps, inherit our Spiritual Bodies, and dwell for evermore in the presence of the Lord. What a wonderful and exciting day that will be for each of us. I am reminded of the following very inspiring verse:

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."


With that great verse, I will bring this article to a close. I trust that you have enjoyed it, learned something from it, and I pray that it has been a blessing in your life. If you have an account with Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or with any other social network, I would really appreciate if you would take the time to click on the corresponding link that is found on this page. Thank you so very much! May God bless you abundantly!

With these thoughts, I will bring this article to a close. It is my hope that you have found it informative, enlightening, and I pray that it has been a blessing in your life as well. If you have an account with Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or with any other social network, I would really appreciate if you'd take the time to click or tap on the corresponding link that is found on this page. Thanks so much, and may God bless you abundantly!

For additional information and further study, you may want to refer to the list of reading resources below which were either mentioned in this article, or which contain topics which are related to this article. All of these articles are likewise located on the Bill's Bible Basics web server. To read these articles, simply click or tap on any link you see below.

Abomination of Desolation: Explained!
Do You Want Love and Light, Or Rod and Wrath?
Greater Works Than These Shall He Do . . . and Satan Too
In the Ages to Come
Jesus Christ's Return: Have We Been Deceived?
Leviathan: An Ancient Dragon of the Sea?
Nephilim: The Giants of Genesis
Once Upon a Time: A True Story
Who is Babylon the Great?
Satan: His Origin, Purpose and Future
Satan: King of Tyrus, King of Empires
Science and Technology: The Forbidden Knowledge?
The Fruits of Disobedience
The Great Tribulation and the Rapture
The Seven Heads
The Woman in the Wilderness and the 144,000
Tradition or Truth? Old Wine or New Wine?
When Was Satan Cast Out of Heaven?
Who Is Who?: Defining Important Prophecy Terms

Click or Tap Icons to Share! Thank you!

---

---

Please avail yourself of other areas of the Bill's Bible Basics website. There are many treasures for you to discover.