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Confusion in understanding the ‘Kingdoms of this world’…

This confusion tends to come from Christians who don’t appreciate how Satan tried to trap Jesus in… Matthew 4:7-11 (ESV) Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”  (8)  Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.  (9)  And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”  (10)  Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”  (11)  Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

 — The English words, “to the test” come from the Greek text meaning – to tempt, entice, try.

— If you think that this world’s glory and power are gifts of God, you are in for a rude awakening when the true motives of the ruler of this world (Satan) are revealed.

— Jesus could not be deceived by Satan’s promise of temporary rule and glory. So we all should be aware that the things of this world shall soon pass away, and only that which is done for the Lord will last.

— SEE John 3:14-19…  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  (15)  that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.  (16)  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  (17)  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  (18)  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.  (19)  And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil…”

— people loved the darkness rather than the light… Note: this means that if you or I believe that all our worldly pursuits are somehow purposed of God, we are being deceived.

— Please realise that all history has been enacted through the merciful, freedom giving love of our Creator God… Even as Satan was cast down and allowed to rule for a time the kingdoms of this earth, this was purposed by God to give you and I the right to choose life, even eternal life.

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Are you offended by the idea that Satan could lay claim to have controlling power over the ‘kingdoms’ of God’s world, the world that God has created?
– How can anyone claim to own something that another built / created?

— Yes, Satan is a liar, and this could be yet another of his lies, and yet when you look to scripture you need to incorporate the understanding of how this earth, as it stands today, contains two kingdoms…

— One, the ‘kingdoms of this world’ – Yielded for a time by God to Satan, for the purpose of giving you and I the freedom to choose to break away from God’s love, and give our allegiance to this kingdom.

— And the other, the ‘Kingdom of Christ’ – Where we are bought back (redeemed) at great cost by the death of Jesus on that cruel cross.

SEE: Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  (19)  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  (20)  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

Also SEE: Revelation 5:8-10 (ESV) And when he (The angel) had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  (9)  And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,  (10)  and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

AND: Revelation 11:15 (ESV) Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”

And finally SEE: Revelation 12:7-12 (ESV) Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back,  (8)  but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.  (9)  And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.  (10)  And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.  (11)  And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.  (12)  Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

— When we read these truths of God casting Satan down to his new role as ‘ruler of the kingdoms of this world’, we must appreciate how this has all come about by:

Firstly, Satan’s rebellion in heaven…

Secondly, Mankind’s disobedience as found beginning in the ‘Garden of Eden’…

And Finally, by the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus on the cross… Not taking away our precious right to choose whom we will make Lord of our lives, …but instead, giving us the option to step away from the guilty verdict of eternal death (in the Lake of Fire following Satan), and instead choose to be forgiven and to follow Jesus, reunited with our loving Creator God and restored to spend eternity with Him.

The fact of a Fallen World, yielded to Satan for a time, should not discourage us Christians, for we are more than overcomers, all thanks, praise, and glory due to our Lord Jesus Christ…

For your encouragement, here are more Bible verses about ‘Overcoming the kingdoms of this world’ (KJV)

(Courtesy of https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org)

1st John 4:4 – Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
1st John 5:4-5 – For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1st John 5:4 – For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1st John 5:5 – Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

John 16:33 – These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

James 1:12 – Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Romans 8:37 – Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Revelation 3:5 – He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Revelation 3:21 – To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

— Again I beg you to realise that all this has been enacted through the merciful, freedom giving love of our Creator God. So even as Satan was cast out to rule for a time the kingdoms of this earth, this was purposed by God to give you the right to choose eternal life.

Choose well, choose to be forgiven and to follow your loving Savior today. (And may God strengthen and encourage all of us who have already made that choice)… You are now an Overcomer, so rejoice! (KRK)