The coming time of testing
“Therefore rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” Revelation 12: 12
Time is running out for Satan. When cast down to the earth he knows that there is only a short time left. Revelation chapter 13 describes Satan’s last desperate attempt to establish his rule over all of this world. Defeated in heaven and knowing that Jesus is soon to return he must work fast.
The foremost of creation
Satan was the foremost of all creation. In Ezekiel he is praised for his beauty, wisdom and music. But his perfection was ruined by pride. He claimed to be equal to God and so God cast him out. Rejected by God, he deliberately destroyed the innocent fellowship that Adam and Eve enjoyed with their Creator.
In heaven Satan brings before God accusation after accusation against sinful man. Satan had been punished for his sin. If God is just, man must be punished likewise. But God has provided an answer in Jesus to all Satan’s complaints. When Satan finally loses his place in heaven he is determined to remain god of this world.
The godly remnant
Through the ages Satan’s claim to rule this world has met with opposition. There has always been a remnant who have resisted his rule. Instead of following him they chose to remain faithful to their Creator. The godly line of Seth led to Enoch who warned a fallen world of its need to repent. In that same godly line came Noah, who was just and walked with God.
Another godly line was established in Noah’s son Shem. From Shem’s line came Abram who was a friend of God. Then came the nation of Israel which God set apart to represent His kingdom on earth. Soon Satan had corrupted the nation so that it became like all the other nations. But still God preserved a godly remnant. When Elijah thought that he was the only one left, God said that there were seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal.
Even in the punishment of the exile in Babylon a faithful remnant remained. Daniel steadfastly kept faith in God, while Ezekiel became God’s spokesman to the slaves in the labour camps.
A Saviour
When God sought to bring His Son into the world He found, in the godly remnant, a lovely humble young woman and her stalwart betrothed. The godly remnant is also seen in Simeon who rejoiced to hold the baby Saviour in his arms and Anna who praised God for fulfilling His promise.
The baby was what Satan feared the most. A person who by His sacrificial love would win the hearts of many. A perfect man who could rightfully claim back dominion over creation. From the start, Satan sought to destroy his great enemy. He stirred Herod to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem. In time he would learn that he had failed. Satan knew that this man Jesus was God’s only Son. Like the vinedressers in the parable, he thought that if he could kill the Son, the inheritance would be his. His triumph was turned into defeat when the Father raised His Son from the dead.
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