Who caused all the trouble?              Why is the world in such a mess?

compiled by Rachel Cory July 29, 2007

 

It is one thing to believe in AGod.@  You may believe that God is the Acreative force,@ or the Aultimate cause.@ You may believe that AGod@ is the Acollective consciousness@ of all the souls who have ever lived.  Or you may believe in the Divine AFather@ of Jesus Christ. 

 

It is one thing to believe in a God, it is quite another thing to believe in THE God of the Bible.  If you are searching for answers, begin with the resurrection.  What is the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  Once you have concluded that HE did indeed come back to life, you can go on to explore THE BOOK - the Bible B Old Testament and New.  The Bible tells us, and Jesus Christ Himself taught us that Satan is very real.  He is not just a concept, or a folk villain.  He is our enemy.  And he is the reason that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, had to come to the world as a human being, live a perfect life, and die a perfect death. 

BEFORE THIS WORLD WAS CREATED:

THERE WAS WAR IN HEAVEN

 

Ezekiel 28:14-15: AYou were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.  You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity (evil) was found in you@

 

Isaiah 14:12-14:  AHow you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!  How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!  For you have said in your heart: >I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High=@

 

Revelation 12:7-9:  AAnd war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.  So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him@

 

Lucifer was the highest angel of heaven.  He was the Acovering cherub.@  He rebelled against God the Father, taking one third of the angels of heaven with him (Rev. 12:4).

 

DOMINION OF EARTH - GIVEN TO MAN

 

Genesis 1:26-28:  AThen God said, >Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.  So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  Then God blessed them, and God said to them, >Be fruitful and multiply;  fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth@

 

Adominion@ - meaning sovereignty or lordship

 

Psalm 8:3-8:  AWhen I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit (care for) him?  For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor.  You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, and sheep and oxenBthe birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas@

LUCIFER HAD BECOME SATAN - THE ADVERSARY

HE HAD LOST A BATTLE BUT NOT THE WAR.

WHAT WOULD BE HIS NEXT MOVE?

 

After He was banished from Heaven, I believe that Lucifer demanded access to every created being.  AIf I must be banished,,@ He said, Athen I demand that every created being be tested, and any soul who fails the test must also be banished.@  And so God allowed Lucifer, now Satan, access to each dimension of His creation. 

 

On earth, the Father allowed Satan to approach his newly created humans.  He appeared as a tree snake, speaking subtle accusations against the Creator .  Eve listened to the snake, then Adam listened to Eve.  They disobeyed a direct command of the Father.  They had rebelled.  And the rest is history.

 

John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11: Satan is called Athe prince of this world,@

Ephesians 6:12: Athe ruler of the darkness of this world,@

2 Corinthians 4:4: Athe god of this world,@

Ephesians 2:2: Athe prince and power of the air.@

 

ANow,@ said Satan, I claim the Lordship of this dimension - earth and all around it, because the humans have chosen to obey me, rather than God.@  What could the Father do?   If  He refused Satan, then He would seem unjust.  It would seem as if He had one law for Lucifer, and another for his Afavorites.@  And so Satan became the ruler of this world.  He has tormented human beings ever since, just because the Father loves them.  His rulership is not complete however, for a couple of reasons. 

 

SATAN=S POWER LIMITED

 

First: Humans who break the law of God B die.  Separated from God, their life does not continue on indefinitely.  Therefore Satan can only dominate them while they live.  They do have children however, and Satan claims dominion over them also. 

 

Second: If a human being cries out to God for help, God will help them.  The Son of God and the angels who remained loyal to the Father will help those who want to return to God.  Satan, of course, cries Afoul@ at this interference in Ahis@ kingdom, but the Father said that Lucifer had stolen the earth through deception.  Adam and Eve were not fully informed.  Because they did not fully understand the consequences when they ate of the fruit, they could be forgiven.

 

My Son,@ the Father told Satan, will come to earth as a human being.  You may test Him in any way you wish.  And if He passes every test, then rulership of the earth will be given to Him.  He will then decide which humans he will accept in His kingdom.  And you Satan will have no further access to any part of my creation.@

 

This was the Father=s plan, which began long before Lucifer was even created.  It was the reason that the Father beget the Son.  At the end of this age, just before Jesus returns, the created beings of every other dimension, along with representatives from earth will judge B they will judge the Son.  Did He pass every test?  Is it fair and just to award Him the earth dimension, with the humans He chooses?  Is it  just, that Satan be sentenced to the lake of fire?  According to the Bible, Christ will emerge victorious.

 

A comment here: I used to think that God made up senseless rules just to see if we would obey, and then punished people severely for breaking the His rules.  Now I know that Satan is the one who demanded the tests.  I may not understand why God gave a certain command. The consequences may not be obvious to me.  They may be natural (like smoking and cancer), or they may be spiritual, but I trust that the Father has my best interest at heart. (To find out what the test will be in the last days, see the study on AThe Sign.@    

AWhere is the proof from the Bible,@ you say. 

Maybe you=re just making up a good story.@

 

Jude 1:9:  AYet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, >The lord rebuke you!=@

 

The Lord wanted to resurrect Moses and take him to heaven.  Satan claimed Moses as his prize, contending that Moses should remain dead, because he had sinned.  Jesus won that round, and Moses appeared with Elijah on the Mount when Christ was transfigured. (Matt.17:2 )

 

In the vision given to  Zechariah, Satan lays claim to the remnant of Israel. Satan lays claim just as surely to each one of us because of our sins.  He claims the right to destroy us.  

 

Zechariah 3:1-4:  AThen he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him.  And the Lord said to Satan, >The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you!  Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?=  Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments (a symbol of unrighteousness) and was standing before the Angel.  Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, >Take away the filthy garments from him.= And to him He said, >See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes=@ 

 

Revelation 12:10: Satan is called Athe accuser of the brethren.@ 

In ancient Israel, the accuser stood at the right hand of the accused.  Fallen man is Satan=s legal captive, until set free by Christ.

 

DO YOU SEE IT? 

SATAN IS THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY! 

SATAN WANTS TO SEE YOU DESTROYED - NOT THE FATHER.

 

Let=s review.

 

Adam and Eve were given dominion of the earth, under God the Father.

Satan used deception to steal the dominion. 

God allowed Satan a limited dominion,

but helped those humans who cried out to Him for help,, asking for forgiveness.

Satan points to our sins as a reason why we should be banished from God.

How was God to wrest the control of earth from Satan? 

  GOD NEEDED A PERFECT MAN

 

If God could find even one perfect human being, one who committed no sin whatsoever, one who never entered into rebellion, He could take the dominion from Satan and give it to that man.  But Aall have sinned.@  There was no perfect human being ------ until Christ. 

 

The Father had promised that His Son would come to earth as a man, to be tested by Satan.

 

And the Son of God became a man.  He lived a life of perfect loyalty to God His father.  He did not sin.  There was no sin in Christ which Satan could point to as a reason why He should not be given the dominion. 

UNFAIR ADVANTAGE?

 

I need to explain something here about the nature of man.  Human beings are born with a carnal (selfish) nature.  Because of Satan=s dominion over this dimension, we are born without the perfect indwelling of the Spirit of God.  Without that indwelling, we are selfish.  We must choose to be indwelt.  We must ask God for help.  Jesus, who existed in Heaven with His Father before He was reborn (incarnated) could make that choice before He was born as a human.  He is called Athe second Adam,@ (1 Cor. 15:45) because, like Adam who was indwelt from the moment of His creation (until He sinned), Christ was indwelt from the moment of His birth.  

 

I know you=re thinking that this gave Christ an unfair advantage in the Atest.@  Satan was probably yelling, Afoul.@   God the Father had to give Satan permission to test His Son in a way that no other human being will ever be called upon to endure. 

 

How did the Father create a fair test? 

He abandoned His Son.  As Jesus was being tried, mocked, and physically tortured, HE LEFT HIM.  He withdrew His Spirit.  Do you remember what Jesus cried out, hanging on the cross, just before He died?  AWhy have You forsaken me?@  (Matt 27:46, Mark 15:34).

 

THE STORY OF JOB HOLDS A CLUE

 

God held a council and Satan came to that meeting as the self-proclaimed ruler of earth. God pointed out that He still had a few loyal humans living on earth.  AHave you considered My servant Job,@ He said, Aa blameless and upright men, one who fears God and shuns evil@ (Job 1:6-8).

 

ASo Satan answered the Lord and said, >Does Job fear God for nothing?  Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side?  You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.  But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has and he will surely curse You to Your face!=@ (Job 1:9-11).

 

 

We know the story.  His children, his flocks, his herds B everything of value, everything Job held dear B everything was taken in a single day.  The only one left was Job=s nagging wife, who told him to Acurse God and die.@  If Job=s wife had been anything but discouraging, the Devil would have slain her too.

 

[I need to make a comment here.  You=re thinking that if Job was a Aperfect and upright man@ why wasn=t the dominion given to him.  If you read the book carefully, you will see that Job had a problem with self-righteousness.  He was indeed a very good man - but he wasn=t giving God any credit.  When He finally heard the Lord speak he Arepented in dust and ashes.@  Job did not realize that He needed a Savior.  Another man, Paul, speaking of himself, said that Aconcerning the law@ he was Ablameless.@  But when he saw Christ and his eyes were opened, He saw that he had not really kept the law at all, not in his heart  Romans 7:14, Phil. 3 4-9.]

  

ABut you have not let me touch his flesh.@

Once again the council met.  AAnd the Lord said to Satan, >Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?  And still he holds fast to his integrity, although you incited Me against him, to destroy him without cause.=@

 

ASo Satan answered the Lord and said, >Skin for skin!  Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.  But stretch out Your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!=@ (Job 2:3-5)

 

ABehold, he is in your hand, but spare his life,@ God said to Satan (Job 2:6). 

 

Now, can you see the scene in Gethsemane??  This time God said, AHe is in your hand - period.   No limit to the torment.  Do your worst - physically, and mentally.  My Son will remain loyal to me.@  In Gethsemane, and on that cross - Christ was given into the hand of Satan.  Every angel of Hell was there to torment Him.  He had no protection.  He was completely alone.  For you, and for me.

 

IF THE FATHER HAD SPARED HIS SON IN ANY WAY

- IT WOULD HAVE LEFT OPEN THE POSSIBILITY OF DOUBT. 

 

I can just hear Satan.  AWell, how do we really know?  How can we know that in the final darkness, as he feels death coming B  how can we know that in that last moment, He will not reject this death, opt out, rebell against the expressed will of God His Father?  How can we know???

 

You do realize that death by crucifixion was God the Father=s will, for His Son.

 

THANK GOD WE KNOW.  AHE WAS OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH.@ 

 

Philippians 2:5-11:  ALet this mind be in your which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation taking the form of a servant and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  Therefore God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

 

 

SATAN=S DOMINION CHALLENGED

 

We see the confrontation over and over.  Satan insinuated his dominion - Christ challenged that dominion. Satan caused a storm (Mark 4, Luke 8).  Christ said Apeace be still@   Satan caused disease.  Christ said Acome out of Him@ (Mark 1, Mark 9, Luke 4) - Ayou are made whole@(John 5:14) - Atake up your bed@ (Matt. 9, Mark 2, John 5).   Satan said Athis is my kingdom.@  Christ said, Aall authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth@ (Matthew 28:18).

 

DOMINION GIVEN TO THE SON OF MAN

 

Romans 3:4: ACertainly not!  Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar.  As it is written: >That You may be justified in Your words, and may overcome when You are judged.@ (Psalm 51:4)

 

Notice!  It is God Himself who is being judged here. (It is the Divine Son of God, the mediator, who stands as God to us. He will be judged by created beings. Amazing thought - God allows created beings to judge His Son.)

 

Daniel 7:9-10 AI watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days [God the Father] was seated. . . . Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.  The court was seated and the books were opened.@ 

 

Daniel 7:13-14:  AI was watching I the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven!  He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him hear before Him.  Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.  His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed@ 

 

Daniel 7:26-27:  ABut the court shall be seated and they shall take away his (Satan=s) dominion to consume and destroy it forever.  Then the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High.  His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him.@

 

The dominion is given to Christ, who then shares that dominion with mankind, just as it was in the beginning.  Some believe this heavenly judgment scene took place shortly after the ascension of Christ, but I do not agree.  In the vision given to Daniel, the little horn (anti-Christ) is at the height of his power, Aspeaking pompous words.@  The Asaints of the Most high@ are persecuted by this evil power for three and a half years (Daniel 7:21-22) just before the court sits in heaven.  These things have not yet taken place.

 

Hebrews 2:8:  AFor in that He (God) put all in subjection under Him (Christ), He left nothing that is not put under Him.  But now we do not yet see all things put under him.@  

 

God speaks of what will be, as if it already is.

The betrothal is legally binding, even through the marriage has not yet taken place. 

 

UNTIL THAT DAY

 

Because He passed the test, Christ can now stand at the throne of God as our advocate.  He can offer our prayers to His Father as if they were His own.  And Satan cannot point to any sin in Christ as a reason why the Father should not immediately grant every petition. 

 

When Christ says, AI want to help Rachel,@ the Father says, AGranted!@

 

Matthew 28:18:  Jesus said, AAll authority has been given to Me, in heaven and on earth.@    

John 5:22:  AAll judgment is committed to the Son.@  

 

The Father loves us.  He wanted to restore this earth to men, but He could not do so without leaving doubts about His justice which would tear apart His kingdom in heaven.  So His Son became a man, and lived a life of absolute loyalty.  The Father could then give the earth into the hand of His Son..  As our human brother ,Christ won the right to give us power against our enemy.  And in the process Satan revealed himself as a murderer, liar, and thief. 

 

 

Christ has dominion - over you, and over me - if we want Him as our Lord.

The Father will soon Aput all things under His feet@ (Psalm 8:6; I Corinthians 15:25,27)

 

AGive the king thy judgments, O God,

and thy righteousness unto the king=s son.

He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.

The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.

He shall judge the poor of the people,

He shall save the children of the needy,

and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations,

He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass; as showers that water the earth.

He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth@   Psalm 72:1-8 KJV.

  

He was obedient unto death - so that He could reclaim this earth and become our everlasting King. 

                                                   I want a part in that everlasting kingdom. 

 

Hebrews 2:9; Hebrews 2:10, Hebrews 2:14, Hebrews 4:9