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by Wayne Blank
Satan's World For A Little While Longer
Sometimes, readers of the above verses find themselves wondering why, during the temptation of Jesus Christ, when Satan offered Him "all the kingdoms of the world," Jesus did not refute the proposition that all of the kingdoms of the world were then Satan's to give.
When Satan's rebellion (see Born To Be Wild?) against God failed, he and all of his demons were cast down from the heavens to the earth. Jesus Christ spoke of witnessing that event, long before He was born as a human: "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven" (Luke 10:18 RSV).
It is on the earth that Satan has remained. During the time of Job, when God asked him where he had been, Satan replied, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." (Job 1:7 RSV) His "going to and fro on the earth" makes him sound like a captured animal, pacing across his cage.
Although confined to the earth, Satan has still been very busy. The gruesome and grief-filled events of much of human history bears witness to that. Satan was in the Garden of Eden, where he caused the first human sin. He did this by getting Adam and Eve to believe his lies (Satan's Language). Satan has been deceiving humanity ever since (see What Does Satan Look Like?) - "the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the likeness of God" (2 Corinthians 4:4 RSV). Note that the New Testament record itself refers to Satan as the "god of this age," or "god of this world."
Satan has been allowed to have much of his own way with this world for a very long time. Something very important has now changed however, thanks to an event that occurred nearly 2,000 years ago. The Life of Jesus Christ, and His Sacrifice to pay the penalty for all of our sins, has made our age a time of transition.
A lame duck is a political adjective used in some democratic countries. It refers to a leader who, although still in power, will definitely be out of office in the very near future. The term is most often used for a president or prime minister who was not re-elected, and who is now just occupying the position until the set time when the new leader officially takes over.
Satan is now a lame duck. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was the "election," and The Return Of Jesus Christ will be the official "inauguration" of earth's new Absolute Ruler (see What Satan Fears Most).
Fact Finder: Did Jesus Christ come to destroy all of Satan's work?
Hebrews 2:14-15
