Part 5.1 - The Earth Became
The Earth Became
Having laid down some foundational principles of the Universal Kingdom of God and the essential facts of the coming Kingdom of the Son, we need to go back to the beginning of the creation of the heavens and the earth, for it is here that we begin to discover the structure laid down by God that explains His Divine purpose and plan. We could say that it is in the beginning that God has presented the skeleton or the structure to which He has attached or upon which He has built other truths.
God is not only the Creator of the heavens and the earth, but He is the very power and life in the history of the heavens and the earth. In other words, He just did not create and walk away from His creation to leave it on its own. Behind the history of this world and of the whole human race is a Sovereign God who sits upon His throne in heaven. The Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men (Daniel 4:17NKJ). The heavens do rule (Daniel 4:26ASV). In The Beginning God…
All things start with God. In fact, we can say that all things end with God as well. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, and He is everything in between. Absolutely nothing exists apart from God.
Scientists continue to speculate and theorize on how the universe began and when it began. Astronomers peer into the far reaches of the universe striving to understand the very beginning and origin of this vast universe in which our planet earth is located. But the Bible gives us the answer-In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. God is the builder of all things and He alone created this universe in which we live. It is His creation and He alone knows all the secrets of His creation, while man strives to gain understanding. In His wisdom, God has not revealed all the secrets of His universe to man. What He has revealed He has given to us in the prophetic Scriptures (Romans 16:26NKJ; 2 Peter 1:19). If we want answers to our questions, we must seek them in God’s Word, the God-breathed Word (2 Timothy 3:16). According to His Word, God created the heavens (the entire universe) and the earth which resides in this universe. There is no reason to speculate on this matter. It is God’s doing and His alone.
How did God create? The Word of God is very clear that He brought forth creation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ who is God the Son.
"Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Thy hands." (Hebrews 1:10)
Make no mistake; Christ is God! Our Creator came in the flesh (flesh and blood) and He will come once again in the flesh [flesh and bones (Luke 24:39)]. This same Jesus who went up in a cloud is coming again and will return in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (Acts 1:11; Matthew 24:30). In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. (John 1:1-3ASV). In the beginning the Son who is the Word was with God. He spoke and creation came into being, and He is the One who holds all things together. He upholds all things by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3).
Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. (1 Corinthians 8:6)
All things exist for the Father and all things exist through the Son. Thus, all of creation is from God, by God, for God and through God. The book of Genesis is called the book of beginnings. It is here that we not only discover the beginning of the earth and man, but also we discover God’s principles that He laid down which govern all His actions in the history of this earth, even before man was created from the dust of the earth.
We need to start at the beginning to understand the history of the heavens and the earth, past, present and future.
Created To Be Inhabited To begin, let us turn to one of the oldest records in the history of man-the book of Job. Near the end of Job’s afflictions, the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind.
"I will question you, and you shall answer Me.Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell {me,} if you have understanding, Who set its measurements, since you know? Or who stretched the line on it? On what were its bases sunk? Or who laid its cornerstone, When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:3-7) Who was there when God in His magnificent, creative power brought forth this earth upon which we live? The Lord laid the foundations of the earth. Who has understanding of the day in which the Lord determined the measurements of the earth and stretched a line upon it? He laid the foundation of the earth and laid its cornerstone. What man can testify to this time in which the Lord stretched forth His mighty creative hand and formed this earth? No man can; for when God first created the heavens and the earth, man was still a thought hidden in the heart of God. As recorded in Job, however, there were witnesses of the Lord’s creative power. When He stretched forth the line and laid the cornerstone of the earth, many witnesses sang for joy. When the Lord brought forth this new creation, the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy. Who are these morning stars, these sons of God? The Word reveals that angels are sons of God (Genesis 6:2; Genesis 6:4; Job 1:6; Job 2:1; Job 38:7). The morning stars and the sons of God who shouted for joy at the laying of the foundation of this earth are those created beings, the angels, that preceded man. Man was created for a little while lower than the angels (Psalms 8:5; Hebrews 2:7). In other words, angels preceded man in the order of God’s creation, and angels are currently higher in position and rank in God’s Kingdom. However, this order will change when God brings many sons unto glory (Hebrews 2:10) to reign with His Son in the coming millennial Kingdom of the Son. Because we now see Jesus crowned with glory and honor, a day is coming when man will be equal to angels in God’s Kingdom (Luke 20:36). When God created this earth, it must have been a magnificent sight to behold. The angels could not withhold their shouts of joy as they saw the glory of the Lord shining forth in the heavens and the earth. It was perfect order and beauty. It was a place to be inhabited. For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens, (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited). (Isaiah 45:18)
God is a God of order, not of chaos. God is light and when He speaks forth, His creative power brings forth life and order. He does not start with chaos and create order. Scientists try to prove that creation started in some primordial ooze that somehow grew from chaos into a highly specialized order. This is man’s reasoning. In the natural world, there seems to be a universal principle that only God could have set forth-chaos never leads to greater order. Just consider a cultivated garden; once it is left on its own, what happens? It is overtaken by weeds and loses all sense of order and beauty. A garden will never grow on its own into a beautiful, cultivated garden. It takes man tilling the soil and caring for the garden for it to thrive. If order goes to chaos or ruin if let untended, then how can chaos or ruin ever be expected to produce order on its own?
Seven Hebrew words (ten English words; ten is the number of completion) are recorded in the beginning of the prophetic Word of God. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Seven is the number of divine perfection and refers to perfection of what is in view. In other words, when God created, He created with divine perfection. It was a complete and perfect work. He created the earth to be inhabited. It was not created to be a waste place. But The Earth Became…
However, Genesis 1:2 a reveals something that seems entirely contrary to God’s creative power: And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. Some (not all) scholars of the Hebrew language state that "and the earth was" could also be translated "but the earth became." Adding this thought to the meaning of the words which follow-formless, void, darkness and deep-gives a much different picture of the earth that in the beginning was created in divine perfection as a place of habitation. In fact, Genesis 1:2 a declares that the earth was just the opposite of a place to be inhabited. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. We do not know when He created the earth and the heavens associated with this earth. We do not know how long this earth has existed. Peter wrote that it was long ago (2 Peter 3:5). It could have been a very long time. But it appears that something happened to the earth between the time of Genesis 1:1-31 verses 1 and 2. In Genesis 1:2 a, the earth was (became) formless and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep. In other words, it was uninhabitable. To understand the condition of the earth as recorded in Genesis 1:2 a, it is necessary to look at the Hebrew meaning of formless (without form), void,darkness and deep. The Hebrew word for formless is tohuw which comes from another word which means "to lie waste; a worthless thing." Attached to this word is the sense of confusion, vanity and wilderness. In other words, the earth was in a vain, worthless condition. The Hebrew word for void is bohuw which comes from another word which means "to be empty" or "an indistinguishable ruin." In other words, the earth was an empty ruin. The Hebrew word for darkness is choshek, which means "the dark", or "something in misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness." The sun was no longer giving light to the earth and it was in misery. Thus, the earth was in misery or wickedness because there was darkness; the sun had ceased to give its light. The Hebrew word for deep is tehowm, which refers to "an abyss, as a surging mass of water." The waters on the face of the earth were not quiet and gentle but were raging.
Thus, when all these words are studied together, a picture is presented of the earth as a dark (without sunlight), worthless, wasted ruin with raging waters flowing over its surface. How could this be possible? God did not create the earth as a waste place but with a purpose to be inhabited (Isaiah 45:18). Surely the sons of God did not rejoice over the earth in this condition. The earth was in vanity and chaos. How did the earth fall into vanity? How did it become something that was in chaos? The answers to these questions lie at the very heart of another question. Why was the serpent in the Garden to deceive Eve? The Fallen, Ruling Angel The most probable answer to these questions is given through the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel. In two far-reaching passages, a glimpse is given of something that occurred outside the time of human history and which marks the beginning of sin in the universe-the fall of one of God’s ruling angels and the destruction of this earth which was first created in glorious beauty and order.
It appears that when God first created this earth and the angels shouted for joy, there was one angel who stood out from among all the other created angels. He is described as Lucifer, his description coming from the Hebrew word helel meaning "brightness." Some translations render this word "star of the morning," "bright star" or "morning star." In Ezekiel, Lucifer’s glorious and splendid unfallen state is described. In Isaiah, his fall is depicted. Lucifer, who was probably a very beautiful angel (Ezekiel 28:12-15 a), began to exalt himself instead of the Creator. Unrighteousness was found in him (Ezekiel 28:15 b). His desire was to be like God and to extend the throne that was given to him until it reached the throne of God.
"How 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.’" (Isaiah 14:12-14NKJ) This "bright star" became God’s adversary, Satan, the devil, the dragon, that serpent of old (Revelation 20:2) because he moved outside the bounds that God had given him. His throne or sphere of rule was most likely only over this earth (or possibly the galaxy in which the earth is suspended), but he rebelled against God along with a third of the angels under his charge (Revelation 12:4). Satan wanted to rule over all of God’s creation. He had become corrupt in his own beauty and began to think of himself as greater than the Creator. Instead of keeping his eyes upon his God and Creator, he began to look at himself and exalt himself. "I will ascend into heaven (God’s throne). I will exalt my throne (extend it beyond what God has given me). I will sit on the mount of the congregation (the place of God’s rule over all the other angels). I will ascend above the heights of the clouds (be greater than all the other angels). I will be like the Most High (like God Himself)." The center of the heart of this once bright star was no longer God but "I." "You have said in your heart, ‘I will.’" As we will see in subsequent chapters, this is the heart of fallen man as well.
Because of his rebellious, unrighteous heart, Satan’s kingdom was judged by God; and the earth and the heavens associated with the earth (probably the galaxy in which earth is located), Satan’s domain, were brought into ruin. Whenever there is rebellion against God, ruin must follow; for the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). "I looked on the earth, and behold, it was formless and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light" (Jeremiah 4:23). Thus, the earth was without form and void, and darkness covered the face of the deep. There were raging waters upon the face of the earth. It was in a state of death.
Actually, Peter, writing to refute the apostates who were denying the return of the Lord Jesus, has left us an explanation of the flood that judged this world in the very beginning before man was created. Peter wrote that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming?" These scoffers will say that nothing has changed since the beginning of creation. Peter responded to these scoffers by going back to the very beginning of the earth as recorded in Genesis 1:1-31. For {ever} since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God {the} heavens existed long ago and {the} earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. (2 Peter 3:4-6)
Essentially, Peter started at the very beginning of the earth (the beginning of creation) before man was created when the earth was first judged by water, and he proceeded to compare this with the very end of this earth when it will be judged or burned up by fire. In the beginning, both the heavens and the earth were involved. In the end, both the heavens and the earth will be involved. This is a very important point in understanding Peter’s exhortation.
Peter said that it escaped their notice by the Word of God. What escaped their notice? They failed to see that the heavens existed long ago; the earth was formed out of water and by water; and it was destroyed by being flooded. Peter places these three facts in the very beginning when God first created (Genesis 1:1), when the earth was brought into ruin (Genesis 1:2 a) and when a ruined earth was restored (Genesis 1:2 b-2.3). The heavens and the earth were involved. This flooding does not refer to the time of Noah because in his day only the earth was affected. Peter was dealing with the beginning of the creation, not ten generations later.
Peter also brought to their attention that at the coming of the Day of God, the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat (2 Peter 3:12NKJ; Revelation 20:11; Revelation 21:1). In like fashion, God brought destruction upon His original, perfect creation-the heavens (sun ceased to give its light) and the earth (flooded). In Noah’s time, the earth was not brought into total ruin. All of mankind was destroyed with the exception of eight people. When the flood subsided, the sun was shining, the plants came forth and man and the animals were once again able to live. In the judgment of Satan’s kingdom, the heavens associated with this earth and the earth itself were brought into total chaos. The sun itself was not giving forth light. Nothing could live on this earth until God Himself spoke, "Let there be light." The Spirit of God hovered over this ruined earth and breathed life into something that had gone into death and darkness. Most likely, this was the result of Satan’s rebellion.
It is interesting to note that when Satan is cast out of heaven and comes to the earth during the Great Tribulation, he will begin to persecute Israel, represented by the woman in Revelation 12:1-17. He will attempt to destroy the woman through a flood (Revelation 12:15-16). Satan is the father of lies, one who can appear as an angel of light, and he counterfeits all that God does. As his kingdom was once brought into ruin by flood, in like manner, he will attempt to destroy Israel by flood. Praise God; Satan is a defeated foe! In the restoration of the earth, God said each day was good, except one. The day in which He divided the waters, forming the firmament, which is called Heaven, He did not declare as good (Genesis 1:6-8). The Bible records: "And it was so" (Genesis 1:7 b). Why is this significant? Satan’s domain is the air over this earth or the firmament Heaven (not where God resides). The Word of God tells us that he is the ruler of this world or the prince of the air. In other words, he rules from the firmament (or as Genesis records, the firmament Heaven), the space that envelopes this earth. Since Satan was still the prince of the air over this earth when God restored the ruined earth, it was not good in the sight of God. It was merely so.
Because of his rebellion, Satan was disqualified to rule over this earth, but someone else had to come along to take his throne. As stated previously, there seems to be a principle set forth by God that He does not replace an incumbent ruler until that one is removed and there is another to take his place. This is where man first entered the picture. In Genesis 1:3, God spoke light into this earth as He began a six-day work of restoration to restore a ruined earth, which resulted from the rebellion of the ruler of this world. On the sixth day, God created man in His own image and said, "Let them have dominion" (Genesis 1:26; Genesis 1:28). In other words, God gave man the charge to rule over the earth. Adam was created to take possession of this earth and to replace Satan as the prince (Genesis 1:26). But as the record states, Satan was in the Garden to deceive Eve: "You will be like God" (Genesis 3:5). This was Satan’s desire when he rebelled against God: "I will be like God." If Satan could get Adam to rebel against God as he had rebelled, then he could retain his right over the earth. Adam had to be obedient to God’s command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17). According to the Word, Adam followed Eve in eating of the tree and the first man lost the right to have dominion. Satan continued as the prince of the air or the firmament Heaven, and he continues even in our day (although with diminished power and authority).
It is important to understand that Satan is not some lost angel who is merely a thorn in the side of God and man. No; Satan is a ruler and he has a kingdom, not a fully functional kingdom as he had before he rebelled [only one-third of the original angels given to him rule with him today (Revelation 12:4)], but nevertheless he has a kingdom, a domain of darkness (Colossians 1:13). Satan had a throne when he rebelled against God (Isaiah 14:13), he has a throne today and he will have a throne when he is cast out of heaven to the earth right before Christ returns to this earth (Revelation 13:2). He is a disqualified ruler as far as God is concerned but God has not removed him from his seat of ruling. Satan continues to maintain a throne even according to the words of the One who now has all authority and power, the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 2:13).
It appears that some Christians have the wrong view that Satan’s kingdom no longer exists and that Christ is now ruling over this earth as its King; in other words, the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ has come on this earth (Revelation 11:15). This day is coming very soon, but it is not here yet. Our Lord went away to receive a kingdom and will return (Luke 19:12). For the last 2,000 years, Christians have been awaiting His arrival (Php 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Revelation 22:12; Revelation 22:20). Praise God; we do not have to wait much longer! The King of kings is coming!
However, until He comes, Christians are like David’s followers who hid with him in the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22:1-2). We are to be strangers, sojourners and pilgrims on this earth (Hebrews 11:13NKJ; 1 Peter 2:11NKJ). Like David’s band of men, we are in distress until our Anointed King comes. We are not to be content on this earth. We are under His rule today, for He is our Lord and our Captain, but we await His return when He takes the scepter of His Kingdom and begins His reign of righteousness and peace. There is no true reign of righteousness in this earth today. All the governments of the world, no matter how good they might appear to be, are failures when it comes to governing righteously. When Christ comes, this earth and its nations will know true righteousness. As Christians, our hope rests on the King and His Kingdom. However, as long as we dwell upon this earth, it is important to have a right understanding of the place that Satan now holds over this earth. The World Lies In The Power Of The Evil One
It is vital to see that an evil, sinister force is at work behind the scenes of this world system. The world system in which we live is driven by the domain of darkness. We must understand this fact even more so as we come to the very end of the age. Just because our Lord defeated every foe on the cross of Calvary does not mean that they have been removed from the scene of this world. Quite the contrary, they still are at work and they are becoming even more vile and sinister as the Day of the Lord approaches. It is time to wake up! It is time to be sober! Our focus must be on our beloved Lord Jesus and not on Satan, but it is instructive to know what the Word of God reveals to us about our adversary. To do this, let us briefly look at the history of Satan-past, present and future.
It already has been shown that Satan was a beautiful, ruling angel over this earth who became unrighteous when he began to look at his own beauty. In his heart, he desired to be like the Most High. In that day, he rebelled against God and his kingdom was brought into ruin. Consequently, this earth that we live on went into ruin. God began to restore this earth and created man to have dominion over this earth. Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden but the adversary was there as well. He tempted Eve to partake of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil against God’s command to Adam (Genesis 3:1-5). Eve was deceived but Adam sinned because the command was given to him (1 Timothy 2:14). Because of Adam’s disobedience, the dominion over the earth did not pass to Adam but instead remained with Satan. This is why Satan, the serpent, was in the Garden. He must have known that if he could cause Adam to rebel against God, then Adam could not take the reign over the earth and he (Satan) would continue to reign even though he was a disqualified ruler. It is as if a disqualified ruler could not replace another disqualified ruler.
We discover that Satan’s activities are recorded again in what is thought to be the oldest book of the Bible, the book of Job. When Satan appeared before the Lord with the other sons of God, the ruling angels, Satan was asked by the Lord if he had considered his servant Job. God gave Satan permission to touch his family, his possessions and finally his own body (Job 1:6-12; Job 2:1-7). Job had entered into the trial of his life, a trial so severe that few people experience such torment. It is possible that down through history and even today, severe trials of the righteous might have been and are the result of such testing allowed by the Lord but worked through Satan. In other accounts in the Old Testament, we discover that Satan stood against Israel and caused David to sin by counting the people (1 Chronicles 21:1). In the book of Daniel, angels under Satan’s rule were revealed as battling over certain regions of the heavenlies over the earth. These areas are associated with governments on earth (Daniel 10:11-13; Daniel 10:20-21). Finally, in Zechariah 3:1, Satan is shown standing in the presence of the Angel of the Lord opposing Joshua the high priest. The Lord said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you, Satan!" Satan is an accuser of the brethren and will continue to accuse until he is finally cast out of the heavens and barred from access to the throne of God (Revelation 12:10). As the New Testament opens and the Son of God, taking on the form of man appears on the earth, Satan is also present. Following His baptism, the Lord Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting for forty days and nights, Jesus was hungry and the devil appeared to Him (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:2-13). The devil tempted Jesus three times, but the last temptation went to the heart of the matter.
Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory; and he said to Him, "All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Begone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’" Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him. (Matthew 4:8-11) In the Scriptures, mountain generally refers to kingdom (Daniel 2:35-37). Satan took Jesus up to the mountain to show Him the kingdoms of the world and their glory. If Jesus had worshipped the devil, he would have given Jesus the kingdoms of the world. [Someone was preaching the gospel, using these verses, and when he came to this part he told his audience, "I don’t know why Satan offered the kingdoms to Jesus when they were not his to give." This was a wrong understanding of the authority Satan holds over this earth.] Although he is the father of lies, there was some measure of light in what the devil was speaking. The kingdoms of this world are under his control. In the account given to us by Luke, Satan declared: "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me" (Luke 4:6NKJ). In other words, God placed him as ruler over the earth and Satan retained this rulership when Adam disobeyed God. Notice that Jesus did not dispute this claim but rather stood against the real purpose of the devil-to tempt the Son of God to acknowledge that he (Satan) was like the Most High. Jesus had enough of the devil and dismissed him: "Begone, Satan!"
During His walk on this earth, Jesus spoke of Satan’s kingdom (Matthew 12:26; Mark 3:23; Mark 3:26; Luke 11:18). He revealed that Satan steals the Word of the Kingdom from the hearts of believers (Matthew 13:19; Mark 4:15; Luke 8:12). Jesus has warned that during His absence while He has gone away to receive a kingdom, the devil would sow bad seed amongst the good seed and the wheat and the tares would grow together until the final harvest is carried out by the Lord’s angels (Matthew 13:39). Jesus revealed the purpose of the lake of fire-it is reserved for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Further, Jesus revealed some of the workings of the devil-Satan planted a thought in the mind of Peter (Mark 8:33); he bound a daughter of Abraham with an illness for eighteen years (Luke 13:16); he entered Judas as he betrayed the Lord (Luke 22:3; John 13:2; John 13:27); and he asked the Lord for permission to sift Peter (Luke 22:31). The Lord Jesus Himself called Satan the father of lies (John 8:44) and the ruler of this world (John 12:31; John 14:30; John 16:11). But praise God, the ruler of this world had nothing in Jesus. Instead, He disarmed him on the cross of Calvary (Colossians 2:15). In fact, as Jesus said, "The ruler of this world is judged" (John 16:11).
Now, we might be tempted to believe that since Satan is a defeated foe he is no longer a threat, and therefore Christians are not in a spiritual battle with the adversary and his angels. We must be clear that this is not true. Paul the apostle called Satan the god of this age and the prince of the power of the air (2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2). In fact, because of the great revelations that he received, Paul was given a messenger (angel) of Satan to buffet him so that he would not exalt himself (2 Corinthians 12:7). John the apostle at the end of his life declared that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one (1 John 5:19). Peter the apostle at the end of his life warned that we must resist the devil for our adversary walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). Of all the apostles, Peter had firsthand knowledge of Satan’s methods of attacking the saints. Peter had been given that great revelation from the Father of the Christ. He declared: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). But shortly after this blessed statement, Peter forbid the Lord from going to the cross. The Lord turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s." (Matthew 16:23). Satan had suggested this thought to Peter and he accepted it. Peter probably remembered this tactic of the enemy all the days of his life. We must resist the lies and the thoughts and the temptations of the devil.
Following the Lord’s ascension to the throne of God, the New Testament record should serve as a reminder that Satan and his angels have continued to be very active throughout this earth. In fact, more is recorded about Satan’s activities in the New Testament than in the Old Testament (Acts 5:3; Acts 10:38; Acts 13:10; Acts 26:18; Romans 16:20; 1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Corinthians 7:5; 2 Corinthians 2:11; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 2 Corinthians 11:3; 2 Corinthians 11:14; 2 Corinthians 12:7; Ephesians 2:2; Ephesians 4:27; Ephesians 6:11-12; Colossians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 2:18; 1 Thessalonians 3:5; 2 Thessalonians 2:9; 1 Timothy 3:6-7; 1 Timothy 5:15; 2 Timothy 2:26; Hebrews 2:14; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9; 1 John 3:8; 1 John 3:10; 1 John 5:19; Jude 1:9; Revelation 2:9-10; Revelation 2:13; Revelation 2:24; Revelation 3:9; Revelation 12:9-10; Revelation 13:2; Revelation 20:2; Revelation 20:10). Of particular note is the fact that in the seven letters to the churches in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, Satan is mentioned in four of the seven letters. Later, when Israel comes into view, Satan also comes into sharp focus as he seeks to destroy Israel.
[Unfortunately, many people have come to accept a myth regarding Satan. He is often pictured as an ugly looking figure with a pitchfork who is ruling over a place called "hell." Let us not forget that he can disguise himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). The fact of the matter is that he is not ruling over hell but is a ruler over this earth who had the power of death until Christ overcame death (Hebrews 2:14-15). Christ has the keys of death and Hades (Revelation 1:18) and He alone has the power to release the dead from Hades, whether they are in the part of Hades for the lost or the part for the saved. Satan is the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2). It is true that he is a disqualified ruler; nevertheless, he remains a ruler until the true Prince of Peace comes. He is not ruling over what people call "hell," as if it is a place distinct from the earth. His future abode is the eternal fire, which has been prepared for him (the devil) and his angels (Matthew 25:41), which is the lake of fire and brimstone (Revelation 20:10). The lake of fire is Satan’s hell that has been prepared for him and his angels. When he is cast into this fiery lake, he will not rule over all who are in this place, for it is a place of torment.]
What is to come of Satan? He will rule over this earth until a battle occurs in the heavenlies between Satan and his angels and Michael and his angels (Revelation 12:7-12). This battle will occur at the beginning of the Great Tribulation that will last for 3½ years. Satan will be thrown out of heaven and cast down to the earth with his throne no longer over the earth but on the earth. The accuser of the brethren will be cast out (Revelation 12:10). Satan will give his power, his throne and great authority to the beast (Revelation 13:2). During this time, the wrath of God will be poured out upon the earth bringing great destruction on all of mankind and the earth. Finally, God will bring the time to an end for if He does not, no one will survive.
Isaiah sums up this day. The earth reels to and fro like a drunkard, and it totters like a shack, for its transgression is heavy upon it, and it will fall, never to rise again. So it will happen in that day, that the LORD will punish the host of heaven, on high, and the kings of the earth, on earth. (Isaiah 24:20-21) In that great Day of Judgment, the entire heavenly host and all the kings of the earth that were led astray by the archenemy of God will stare at him and wonder how they could have been so deceived.
"Those who see you will gaze at you, they will ponder over you, {saying,} ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world like a wilderness and overthrew its cities, who did not allow his prisoners to {go} home?’" (Isaiah 14:16-17)
Then the heavens will open up and a white horse will appear. The One sitting upon the horse will be called Faithful and True. The Lord Jesus Himself will appear from heaven wearing many crowns. He is theKing of kings and the Lord of lords (Revelation 19:11-16). The Victor will arrive having taken the scepter of the Kingdom of Heaven. In that day, the salvation, and the power, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ will have come (Revelation 12:10). It is the day of the Kingdom of the Son; and the earth that became ruined will be restored to a beauty that man, apart from Adam, has never seen or experienced. It will be a day of glory for the glory of the Lord will fill the whole earth. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne (Psalms 97:2). He will rule with a rod of iron for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:6). With the appearing of the Victor, Satan will be chained and cast into the bottomless pit for 1,000 years (Isaiah 14:15; Revelation 20:1-3). At the end of the 1,000-year rule of Christ, Satan will be released to deceive the nations one last time (Revelation 20:7-8). Fire will come down from God out of heaven and devour all that follow Satan in a last failed attempt to rule. Finally, Satan will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone to be tormented day and night forever and ever (Revelation 20:9-10). This is the history of the fallen angel who began as a bright star and ended as a fallen, dark star. Hallelujah; he will deceive no longer!