Satan Loses Access to Heaven

Transcript

GR 1541
10-04-09
Satan Loses Access to Heaven
Revelation 12:6-9
Gil Rugh

Turn to Revelation 1, we'll just remind ourselves of what Christ says about the revelation that is unfolded in this book. It is about future things, God bringing to conclusion His purposes and plans in dealing with sin in the world and bringing the kingdom that has been long prophesied, over which His Son will rule into fruition. But we don't study the book of Revelation just for interest in future things, it is to shape us in the way that we live here and now. Sometimes people get the idea that prophecy is about future things, it's not that important because we need to focus on living day by day. You understand God doesn't give information to satisfy curiosity, He is in the process of molding and shaping us to bring us into conformity to His character. And in Revelation 1:3, blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and heed the things which are written in it, for the time is near. So the book of Revelation was given for us to understand and live in light of. We need to heed these things, keep them, conduct ourselves in light of them.

That's the way the book started, turn over to Revelation 22:7, behold I am coming quickly, Christ says. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book. Isn't it interesting? The only book that pronounces that kind of blessing on the one who heeds or keeps what has been said here is the very book that people say you can't understand. If you couldn't understand it, how could you keep it? If it's hopelessly confused or hidden in mystery, how can God pronounce blessing on me for paying attention to it and living in light of it. So these words of encouragement at the beginning and ending of this book are good reminders. God gave this book to be understood by His people and be a key factor in shaping how we live day by day in light of what God is doing in the world and where He is taking His creation.

So come to Revelation 12. Remember Revelation 6-19 deals with that seven-year period that will be brought to a conclusion by the return of Christ to earth in chapter 19, and the establishing of His kingdom on the earth in chapter 20. So we keep that in perspective. Chapters 6-19 are about a seven-year period, that seven-year period is divided into two equal 3½ -year segments. Events that take place in the middle of that seven-year period are extremely significant and important because the last 3½ years will take on an even more serious and ominous character with severity of judgment and so on.

We are in the midst of talking about the events of that middle period. Revelation 12-14 do not move the flow along, remember. We are in a break here to tell us about events that take place in the middle of the seven years, that help us to understand why the last 3½ years are like they are. And better understand what is taking place.

Chapter 12 began by presenting Israel under the picture of a woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars. And we noted that picture is drawn from the Old Testament, the book of Genesis. There it pictures Israel, Jacob and Rachel and then the twelve sons which comprise the twelve tribes of Israel. So it's a picture of Israel being ready to give birth to the Messiah. Verse 2, she was with child, ready to give birth. Then verses 3-4, we saw the great red dragon, a dragon because he is fierce in character, red because he is bloody, he is a murderer, brings destruction. It is Satan we are talking about, that will even become more clear as we move down into our section in a few moments. He is shown to be the power behind earthly empires. In verse 3, he had seven heads and ten horns and these seven heads picture seven earthly empires that have intersected and impacted Israel—Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome. And Rome followed by a ten-nation confederacy, followed by world ruler Antichrist. We will have more to say about that as we move on in Revelation. So there ultimately will be eight as we get to chapter 17, and the eighth is unfolded, but he is really part of the seventh. And the seventh comes out of the sixth, Rome. But these seven heads depict seven world empires. Satan is the motivating force behind all world empires and world powers. These particular seven are important because of their relationship to the nation Israel. The ten horns are part of that confederacy as we looked at, we'll have more to say about that at the beginning of chapter 13 and then even more fully in chapter 17.

Satan is behind all the opposition to Christ, to His people, particularly to the nation Israel because all of his attempts are to rule and reign himself. You remember in the temptation of Christ in Matthew 4, what did he say to Christ? Fall down and worship me and I'll give you all the kingdoms of the world, which means you can rule under me. Obviously, Christ would not do that. There is no shortcut, He had to go to the cross to provide redemption so He could rule over the kingdom which His Father had ordained.

This child is destined to rule the world, verses 5-6. Verse 5, she, Israel, gave birth to a Son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. Her child was caught up to God and His throne. Following the crucifixion Christ was raised from the dead, in Acts 1 He ascended to heaven. So the assaults of Satan against Him cannot continue in the direct way that they occurred with the crucifixion of Christ.

Then the woman, Israel, fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God so that there she would be nourished for 1260 days. Now here you see we have the last half of the tribulation, the last 3½ years. We get down to chapter 13 we'll be told its 42 months. So we keep having it identified in these different ways—1260 days, 42 months, 3½ years. So you see we're getting a picture of what is going on during the last 3½ years when there is such fierce, ferocious animosity poured out toward Israel. Behind it all is the dragon, attempting to destroy the nation that God has chosen for Himself, because they are key to the establishing of the kingdom over which the Messiah will rule and reign.

When we come to verse 7 and down through verse 12 we will get the background necessary to understand why the opposition of Satan against Israel is so intense during this 3½ -year period. He has been the enemy of Israel since God chose Israel in selecting Abram, who would become Abraham, and his descendants to be the people that God selected for Himself. The nation Israel obviously coming from Abraham. There is a reason why the last 3½ years are so fierce and that finds its foundation and basis in a war that will take place in heaven and mark a serious turning point in the plan of God as far as Satan is concerned. And Satan knows it.

And so verse 7 tells us, there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon; the dragon and his angels waged war and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth and his angels were thrown down with him. This is an event that takes place in the middle of what we call the 70th week of Daniel, that last seven-year period in God's program for the nation Israel, as we find out in Daniel 9. We are in the midst of that last seven-year period. He's not talking about the original rebellion of Satan against God here. There is war in heaven and this is between Michael and the unfallen angels, and the devil and the fallen angels. We know because this will be followed by 1260 days, or if you come down to verse 14, there she, Israel, the woman pictured here, was nourished for a time, times and a half time. Another way of identifying that period, coming from the book of Daniel. It was a time, times and a half time; a time, two times and a half time; 3½ times or 1260 days or 42 months in chapter 13 verse 5. So you see we have this identified here clearly. When we get to the end of this 3½ -year period, Christ will return to earth to bring it to a conclusion in chapter 9.

The original rebellion of Satan is recorded in two main passages in the Old Testament and I want to take you back there just as a background for what is happening here. Back in Isaiah 14. What we have in Isaiah 14 and what we will also see in Ezekiel in a moment is God through His prophets addressing an earthly empire. But remember the spiritual force and power behind earthly empires is Satan. And so in chapter 14 we're dealing with the ruler of Babylon. But in the midst of addressing Babylon, the Spirit of God really addresses the spirit being who is the power of Babylon. When we get to Ezekiel we'll see a similar thing when the king of Tyre is addressed. But what is the power and authority behind these kings and empires. Well as we saw in Revelation 12, it is the dragon. And so in the midst of this we go to the real issue.

So we'll break into this in Isaiah 14:12. Now you'll note verse 4 to give you the setting, take up this taunt against the king of Babylon. So this is a setting about Babylon but then the Spirit of God addresses the spirit being, Satan, who is the power behind Babylon. Verse 12, how have you fallen, oh star of the morning, son of the dawn. You've been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the nations. Verse 13, but you said in your heart. And here you have this series of “I wills”—I will ascend to heaven, I will raise my throne above the stars of God, I will sit on the mount of the assembly in the recesses of the north, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High. Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol to the recesses of the pit, and so on.

So you see here what happened in the past, perhaps on the first day of Satan, because Satan is a created being, remember. In this context the desire of Satan to elevate himself and really usurp the place of God. He is called here the star of the morning, the shining one; the son of the dawn. Pride the original sin, if you will, of Satan as he attempts to usurp the authority of God. A number of times in the New Testament Satan is called the ruler of this world because he is ultimately the power behind all earthly empires. In John 12:31 as Jesus anticipates His crucifixion, He refers to Satan as the ruler of this world. John 14:30, 16:11 all refer to Satan as the ruler of this world. In this kind of context we talk about Babylon ruling the world. Well Babylon is just human instruments that Satan is using to assert his rule in the world. And this is a carryover from his original rebellion. I will be like the Most High, I will raise my throne above the stars of God, I will be in a position to rule over all the angels and I will be like the Most High, verse 14. Well he is cast down from his position, but that desire is still there. So he is attempting to assert his desire to rule in creation and over creation even through earthly empires.

It's not amazing that you have this addressed to Satan in addressing the ruler of Babylon. What did Jesus say to Peter when Peter objected to the idea that Christ would go to Jerusalem and be crucified in Matthew 16:23? He said, get behind Me, Satan, because Peter as a human instrument was becoming an instrument or a tool in the hands of Satan to try to thwart the plan of God. Again, so that His Son could go to the cross and thus provide redemption that will enable the kingdom to be established.

Come over to Ezekiel 28. As I mentioned here is a message through the prophet Ezekiel addressed to the king of Tyre. But again, what is the spirit being who provides the power? Who does the king of Tyre serve? Who ultimately is trying to assert his authority in an empire? It is Satan. If we keep this in mind it helps put in perspective and enables us to conduct ourselves properly in light of earthly empires. Satan is constantly trying to use them to oppose the purposes and plans of God.

We'll pick up again in the midst of this vision. Look at verse 12, son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him. So it's addressed to the king of Tyre, but we immediately go to the power behind the king of Tyre, Satan. You had the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God. The king of Tyre was not, but Lucifer was. Let me say something here about the depictions of Lucifer. We don't know how sin has impacted his appearance, but I think if he would appear and manifest himself, we would be in awe of the splendor and beauty that is still his. I mean you see what God says about him. You had the seal of perfection, verse 12, full of wisdom, perfect in beauty. I mean, this is an awesome being created by God Himself with a perfection and beauty that I think that we would be in awe of. You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every precious stone was your covering—the ruby, the topaz, the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, the jasper, the lapis lazuli, the turquoise, the emerald, the gold. The workmanship of your settings and sockets was in you, on the day you were created they were prepared. So you can take it that Satan and the angels were created on the first day of creation. That's not a focal point in the account in Genesis, but you'll note here he was created and it's in the context with these things being brought into existence.

You were the anointed cherub who covers. We're told that at the end of verse 16. I have destroyed you, oh covering cherub. In Exodus 25:20, remember in the tabernacle as it was constructed, and when the innermost sanctuary, the holy of holies where God would meet with His people through their representative. You had the mercy seat and over it you had the cherubs whose wings covered. I take it that was the role that Lucifer had. Most exalted, even among angelic beings, to be one who really in effect was the cherub who was over the throne of God. Not over in power, but that presence. God would have made him a splendid, spectacular, beautiful being to occupy such a role in the very court of heaven.

Verse 14, you were the anointed cherub who covers. I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God, you walked in the midst of the stones of fire. I mean, here he is in the very presence of God in heaven. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you. God did not create Lucifer as a sinful being, He created him perfect and he was perfect, blameless, sinless until unrighteousness was found in him. He was created as a being with the potential to rebel by disobeying God, even as Adam was.

So we read, by the abundance of your trade you were internally filled with violence, you sinned. Therefore I have cast you as profane from the mountain of God. I have destroyed you, oh covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty. You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. So this picture of the fall of Satan. He was taken up with himself, as Isaiah said in Isaiah 14—I will be this, I will, I will. Here we get some glimpse into the scene, the fall. He lost his position in heaven as a result of the rebellion.

Pride brought about his fall, verse 17. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty. Your corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. Not so different from man, right? Man gets caught up with how smart he is, how wise he is and how he sees himself as able to function as God. And becomes arrogant in his rebellion against God. I Timothy 3:6 warns in the context of appointing spiritual leaders in the church, that you don't appoint a novice lest they fall into the same condemnation that Satan did, that pride overtakes them.

So come back to Revelation. Now that has happened already. What happened at that occasion is Satan lost his position in heaven. He was cast down from being the anointed cherub who covered the throne of God. In Revelation 12 we noted in verse 4 where his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven. Remember we read back in those Old Testament passages that Satan said I will life myself up above the stars. He's not talking about the stars in the sense of the heavens, I think he was talking about the other angels and he is going to usurp God's place so that now they will serve him. And evidently a third of the angels of heaven followed him in that rebellion. Created beings, personal beings were given the opportunity to make a decision, even as Adam and Eve were in the Garden. Now when the angels made their decision, that fixed their destiny for eternity. Remember Hebrews 2. God never provided salvation for the angels. The moment Lucifer and a third of the angels rebelled against God, they were placed under judgment and there would never be forgiveness for them. From that point on they are under judgment awaiting sentencing to hell ultimately. But they are still free to go about by and large, the bulk of Satan's followers along with Satan. Now he lost his position but he still has access to heaven. The reason we're doing this is the war in heaven in Revelation 12 that is yet future deals with Satan's access to heaven. And so while he lost his position as the anointed cherub that covers and the honor and glory of serving God in the presence of God in heaven, he still has access to heaven.

We need to go back to Job, the very familiar passage. Sometimes it seems strange, we think well God in heaven could not allow sinful beings into heaven. That would defile it. But you understand the original sinful being, Satan, and the one who is leading the rebellion against God has access to heaven. So in Job 1:6, now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord. These are the angels. And evidently there are times when all the angels, fallen and unfallen, are summoned to present themselves before God. Now this would be no small assembly, because there are evidently billions of angels. Lucifer is a fallen being, he is a created being, fallen now. And as a created being he can only be in one place at one time, he cannot be omnipresent as God is. So his presence throughout the world is through his servants, demonic beings, fallen angels. How many of them there must be and they are fallen. Think of what that assembly is when God calls the angels to assemble before Him.

There was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, from where do you come? Then Satan answered the Lord and said, from roaming about on the earth and walking around on it. You see where Satan's locale is now. He lost his position in heaven, now the focal point of his activity is here on earth. The Lord said to Satan, have you considered my servant, Job? Isn't it amazing how God draws it right down to one person—His servant, Job. There is no one like him. And Satan says, no wonder, he serves you, you protect him, you put a hedge around him. I can't get to him. You let me get to him, you'll find out he doesn't want to serve you. Then he'll curse you to your face. Isn't it amazing the audacity of Satan? Here in heaven before the throne of Almighty God and he has the nerve to tell God, you don't know what you're talking about. You say he is your servant, he is faithful to you. The only reason he serves you is because you protect him. You let me cause trouble in his life and he'll curse you. Here we are in heaven and Satan has the audacity to make charges like this before God.

The Lord said to Satan, behold all that he has is in your power. Do not put your hand on him. You can afflict his family, you can take his possessions and you can do a variety of things and the process goes on. Chapter 2 opens up, there was a day again when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan also came also among them. We have these times.

Over in Zechariah, a passage we've looked at in previous studies, Zechariah 3. We get these windows into the spirit realm and even what's going on in heaven to give us some picture of what is taking place even as we are here today. Awesome. Zechariah 3:1, then he showed me Joshua the high priest, standing before the angel of the Lord and satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. I mean, here we are. Satan here with God present, the angel of the Lord present, the pre-incarnate Christ. And what does Satan do? Make accusations against Joshua the high priest, just like he made accusations against Job. Job isn't a genuine servant, he's a fair-weather friend. Take away the fair weather and he will curse you to your face, so to speak. So here Joshua, Satan accusing him. We'll see that in a moment in Revelation 12, but he's the accuser of the brethren. That's what he does.

There are other occasions. In Kings you have the angels presenting themselves before God and demonic being is given permission to go and influence Ahab and so on. We get these glimpses into the world. We understand there is a battle going on when Ephesians 6 says we do not do war, we don't wrestle with flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the spiritual forces of this world's wickedness in heavenly places. We understand something going on here. We sometimes go about our world like we're all caught up here. You understand there is a spiritual battle going on. We watch the news and see what's going on and leaders of the world, we understand Satan marshalling his forces. This shouldn't amaze us that the world's opposition is directed towards the Jews. It doesn't make any sense, why do they do this. Why do they treat Christians the way they do? We say, things could get bad. You better believe they are going to get bad, and the baddest is yet to come. You say, you're a pessimist. No, because the baddest and the worst isn't the end of the story, isn't the concluding chapter. The return of Christ and the reign in glory is, so I'm not a pessimist. I'm a realist. The world is not going to fall in love with Christians, the world is not going to fall in love with Israel because Satan is the ruler of this world, he is the god of this world. Or as I John 5 says, the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. So we're at a spiritual battle. We are here as God's servants in a world Satan is ruling over. What is he doing today? He is going to and fro on the face of the earth, making sure his will is being done everywhere. And he evidently has billions of spirit beings, demons, fallen angels that do his bidding. And he has a well organized program.

So you come back to Revelation 12. We're going to have a process here. Satan has lost his position in heaven. Three and a half years into the seven years there is a battle in heaven, he is about to lost his access to heaven. He realizes this is moving him along to the point where in Revelation 20 he will lose his freedom on earth. And then at the end of Revelation 20 he will be cast into an eternal hell. But now we have, if you will, the second major movement as far as Satan being restricted. He's lost his position, he is about to lose his access.

So verse 7 says, there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. Awesome to consider, a war in heaven. Michael is identified specifically as the angel with responsibility for Israel. Now let's go back to Daniel 10. And Daniel has been praying and mourning for three weeks. Then verse 5, a certain man dressed in linen, his waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz, body like beryl, face appearance of lightning, eyes flaming torch and so on appeared to him. And I heard, verse 9, the sound of his words and I fell into a deep sleep on my face with my face to the ground. Then a hand touched me, set me on my hands and knees. He said to me, verse 11, oh Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright for I have been sent to you. When he had spoken this word to me I stood up trembling. He said, do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and humbling yourself before your God, you words were heard. I have come in response to your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for 21 days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me for I had been left there with the king of Persia. You see the battle going on in the spirit world. And evidently in the structure and order that Satan has in his earthly kingdom, certain powerful demonic beings have authority over different nations. And there is a demonic being, who was over the kingdom of Persia. This demonic being is unwilling to have the unfallen angel who comes to respond to Daniel's inquiry. For three weeks this heavenly angel can't proceed. You see there is still a hierarchy of power in the demonic world and in the angelic world. And just because this angel is an unfallen angel and comes from God, that doesn't mean he has the power to overrule this demonic being who has authority over Persia. An angel from God with greater authority has to come from God, that being Michael the Archangel.

And so now he could proceed. Now we come down to verse 20. And again in verse 19 Daniel is referred to as man of high esteem. Isn't it something to be noted in heaven among unfallen angels as a man of high esteem before God? Now Daniel wasn't a man without trouble, because we enter the book of Daniel with him having been carried away, torn away from his family, carted away from the land of Israel, carried away to Babylon. But he is there as God's faithful servant, man of high esteem, preciousness, honored of God.

But note verse 20. This angel says, now you understand why I came to you, but I shall now return to fight against the prince of Persia. So I'm going forth and behold the prince of Greece is about to come. You see what is happening here. We say this is the Greek Empire under Alexander. What is really going on is spirit beings are asserting authority and power under Satan's domination and moving one empire out and another empire in. We look and think of all the human elements, but they are all secondary because the real issue is the prince of Persia here, a demonic being, and this kingdom is about to be replaced because the prince of Greece is to come. And one of Satan's, as he continues to try to establish his power and authority with a greater earthly empire.

Note verse 21, however I tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael, who is identified as one of the chief princes back in verse 13, we know him as Michael the archangel. He is your prince, your prince, Daniel, Israel's chief prince. That's why we say Michael is the angel particularly entrusted with the responsibility for Israel because here he has been identified in this context as one of the chief princes. And his particular responsibility is the nation Israel. And that becomes significant then in Revelation 12 when Michael stands up. Here we are moving now along clearly in God's program for the nation Israel.

Go to Daniel 12:1, the same even described now in fuller detail in Revelation 12:7, the war in heaven. Now at that time Michael the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people. You see his role again? He's your prince, he stands guard over the sons of your people. Daniel is a Jew, your people, the Jews. Will arise. That's what happens. Now he comes, steps up to take on Lucifer. And there is war in heaven. That will result in a time of distress as has never occurred since there was a nation until that time. And then God will bring about the rescue of the nation Israel, the climax of these 3½ years.

So here it's been prophesied, now we come to the realization. Michael had a previous conflict with Lucifer, go to the book of Jude verse 9. But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said the Lord rebuke you. There was a time when Moses died on the mountain, God buried him and nobody knew where. Lucifer was there to stand against Michael to try to take control of the body of Moses. We're not told why, what he wanted to do with the body. But here we get a glimpse again into the spirit world. Moses dies on the mountain, we think God had him buried. Then we find out Michael was there to bury the body but Lucifer was there to try to take control. And Moses becomes a key figure obviously in Israel and in Israel's history, and here you see a battle going on. And you see the power that Lucifer has. Because even Michael did not dare to pronounce a reviling word against Lucifer. He respects the fact that he was created as the anointed cherub that covered the throne of God. Even though he is a fallen being, there is still the recognition of his authority and power. And so he calls upon the power of God as God's representative to overrule Satan.

When we talk about we're in a spiritual battle, we ought to understand how serious this is. People make light of the devil, they joke about him, but the reality is he is an awesome, powerful being. And you see people running around now who think they have authority now over the devil and saying things about him. I rebuke you, devil. I mean, it would be laughable if it weren't so serious. Michael the archangel didn'r function that way. He didn't dare speak a word like that. But the Lord rebuke you. So there is a recognition of God's power in what He did in creation and even though he is a fallen being, he still asserts awesome power and authority in the spirit world and of course in the physical realm as well.

Come back to Revelation 12. There was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon, the dragon and his angels waged war and they, referring to the dragon and his angels, were not strong enough. There was no longer a place found for them in heaven. So what a scene. Satan makes a last stand in heaven because if he can overrule and overpower Michael and the unfallen angels, he is in the position then to directly confront God. As though a created being could do this and win. I mean, Lucifer has been in the presence of God and he goes there, maybe even there now. Don't know when God calls the angels into assembly. But does this being think he can win? As we've talked about, there is no rationale to sin. I mean, Satan can read the book of Revelation, but it doesn't change his attempt to do battle with God. Now we're going to find out as we move on in the book of Romans, this is exactly where unregenerate men are. They know they are in rebellion against God. They won't acknowledge it and they continue to fight as though they can win. It is just characteristic of fallen beings. And it's true of Lucifer.

There was no longer a place found there for them in heaven. We've moved it on now. The first day of creation when Satan was called into being, there as a result of his rebellion he lost his position. But now the access to heaven is closed to him. The great dragon was thrown down. You'll note here, we have a threefold repetition of that statement thrown down and we have a series of names for Satan so there is no misunderstanding. The great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan who deceives the whole world, he was thrown down to the earth. And his angels were thrown down with him. So now all of the fallen angels who joined him in his rebellion, who also had access to heaven now heaven is closed to them. They have lost. They realize the seriousness of this event as they are thrown down. And this will mark a tremendous increase in the turmoil in the world and the persecution of Israel. That's why Daniel 12:1 said there has never been a time like this will be. That's why Jesus said when He addressed this in the Olivet Discourse, if He didn't intervene in Revelation 19 there wouldn't be anybody left alive on the face of the earth. That's how bad it is getting, how much turmoil and death and destruction will be going on as Satan pours out the full fury of his power in an attempt to thwart the plan of God and destroy the Jews and keep God from establishing a kingdom which will then result in his being confined and ultimately sentenced to hell.

He is called here several names. The great dragon, and we noted this name earlier in the chapter, verse 3. The dragon pictures his fierce character. Understand, the devil is the friend of no one. Just because the people of this world belong to the devil doesn't mean he likes them. They are pawns in his hand. He delights to bring ruin and destruction. They are just tools for him, and if their destruction and pain furthers his purposes, fine. That's why he brings such turmoil to the world. He doesn't care about the destruction and ruin he brings to his followers. He cares if in some way he might think he can thwart the plan of God. He's the dragon and understand he doesn't think, these people belong to Satan and so he takes care of them. No, he has no love for them. He just uses them in an attempt to accomplish his purposes in opposing God.

He is called the serpent of old because that takes us back to the beginning of Genesis where we meet him in Genesis 3, using the serpent as an instrument to try to lure Adam and Eve into rebellion, and he is successful in doing that. II Corinthians 11:3 takes us back to that. You see that the plan of Satan in his operation continues. I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, and what we're really talking about is Satan here, Satan using the serpent. Your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. And we're told down in verse 14, Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. It's not surprising if his servants disguise themselves. So Satan didn't come to Adam and Eve and say I am the fierce opponent of God and all His plans. No, he came to present, I can give you something God wouldn't give you. I mean, God wants to keep good things from you, I want to give you good things. You eat of this tree you won't die, you'll gain insight like God has reserved for Himself, the knowledge He has. I'm going to give you good things. You see how he is working today. He doesn't change in his operation and you and I as believers ought to understand that and conduct ourselves accordingly. So he is the serpent of old.

Back in Revelation 12, he is the devil, diabolos. The times of the old cowboy pictures, somebody's horse was named Diabolos. The devil comes from a word to mean to defame someone, to slander someone. He is the false accuser. Down in verse 10 we'll see he is the accuser of the brethren. We saw in Zechariah 3 he was there to accuse Joshua. He slanders people. That's the work of the devil. We shouldn't be surprised as children of God that people say false things about you, spread rumors about you, say malicious things. We say it has no foundation, where does that kind of stuff come from.

Some time ago somebody came and said, somebody told me something about you. I have to ask you. They said you are really a strong racist. I just wondered, is it true? I said, do you know my son-in-law? He's a delightful member of my family. The person says, I thought so. I mean, where does this stuff come from? People just come up with things because float enough stuff out there, something will stick. Because if nothing else people will say, where there is smoke there is fire, so just keep pumping the smoke. That's what the devil does, he is a slanderer. So what do his followers do? They slander. So you say, I don't know what I do. I try to maintain a good testimony at work, I try to be a hard worker, I try to be faithful and when I share the gospel I try to do it in love. And they say these terrible things. Surprised? Of course not. What are we dealing with? We're dealing with diabolos, the slanderer, the false accuser.

The next word is very similar to that, Satan. This is just transliterated over from the Hebrew word, satanos, Satan. The one who separates, an enemy, an adversary. He's against God, he's against everyone who belongs to God. This name is used, Satan, the name that we carry over from Hebrew, just as it is in the Greek and in the English, fourteen times in Job. Because that's what he is. He's always making false accusations. It's used over thirty times in the New Testament. So again we understand what is going on.

He deceives the whole world, you'll note in verse 9. This person, the great dragon, the serpent of old, the devil, Satan, he's the one who deceives the whole world. It's the work of Satan to deceive, to delude. As we read in II Corinthians 11, and I have a whole list of passages we don't have time to look at right now. But ascribing his work and the whole world indicates his deception is universal. I mean, don't misunderstand. We live in a great country, God has blessed us to live in a country where in His grace He has given us freedom and so on. But don't make any mistake that this nation like the other nations of the world are under the authority of the spiritual god of this world. The whole world likes in the power of the evil one. He is the deceiver of the whole world. His power is awesome. I mean, he is not on the level of our God, but I am amazed. Look at all the nations large and small in the world, look at all going on and Lucifer is orchestrating it and working it. Mighty empires of the past like Egypt, who was behind it? Well we saw, the dragon. Babylon, Rome, these major empires and all going on. I mean the activity in the world. We don't want to lost sight of the fact ........... We get caught up in what is going on here. We should see it in the picture as it is, as Revelation unfolds it—a spiritual battle going on and you and I are involved because make no mistake, Satan knows who you are. When God said to Satan, have you considered My servant, Job, Satan didn't say Job Who. He knew right away who He was talking about. Do you think Satan doesn't have every one of the children of God marked out in the world for special attention? Because you are the problem to him. His followers are his followers. Jesus said in John 8:44, to the unbelieving religious people who were on a different moral level than the pagan Romans, we're talking about the Jews who pride themselves in keeping the law. He said to these moral people, you are of you father, the devil and you always do his will. And you are a murderer. He was a murderer from the beginning, and you are just like him. He's a liar from the beginning and you're just like him. And it came out, what do these moral self-righteous religious people do? They crucify the Lord of glory. I mean, we don't want to lose the picture. That's what they are, that's what we were until God redeemed us, right? Servants of the devil, always doing his will until God marvelously intervened and drew us to Himself.

So we get a picture of what is going on in the world, this is the battle that is going on. We get to the middle of the tribulation, things take a dramatic turn for the worse. I'm not saying they won't get terribly bad now, maybe terribly bad before the seven years begin. But let me tell you the last 3½ years will be nothing like the world has ever seen. Does that discourage me? No, I'm on the winning side, I belong to the God who will have the victory. I delight in Revelation 19, Revelation 20. I know how it's going to end up, with the Son of God ruling and reigning and believers ruling and reigning with Him. So how I conduct my life, what I'm living, I'm living in light of these things, in light of what is going on, knowing even things that come into my life, the devil is part of it. He opposes me, I do battle against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies. But I do it as a servant of the living God and in His power.

Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for your work in the world, your work among all your creation. Lord, some of these things are awesome and finite human beings, it's hard for us to comprehend the magnitude of what is taking place, that angelic beings in battle among themselves, the angels faithful to you, the angels in rebellion against you, spirit beings influencing the people of this world, fallen spirit beings opposing us as your servants. Lord, in all things we are safe and secure in your hands. You are our protector, you are our keeper, and you are our enabler. But Lord, we need to be a people clothed in the armor that you have provided so that we can be faithful servants, victorious over those who oppose you and oppose us as the redeemed. Thank you for your faithfulness, thank you, Lord, for revealing the conclusion of your program so that we would not be discouraged, we would not lose heart. But we count it a privilege to represent you as light in the midst of darkness. Use us to that end in the days of the week before us. We pray in Christ's name, amen.