The Devil is the ruler of the world...What does this mean?

[Yahshua]

How did God end up giving Satan the power in the first place? Is it permanent? Then what?

God gave Adam dominion over all of the earth and this has never changed (as God's word can't be voided); man has dominion...but in yielding to "That Old Serpent", Adam yields his authority to Satan; he chose who his father was. So Satan has had a seat in man's heart (i.e. God earthly throne) ever since, and rules the world by proxy through fallen man (his spiritual seed). Satan then tempted Christ to yield (as he tempts all mankind to yield earthly authority), but only Christ had the power to resist yielding.

(So everyday we must live in Christ to avoid yielding earthly authority to Satan.)

Meanwhile, Christ proved that man (a "son" of man) could live a sinless life *till death* thus Satan is put on trial for high treason, where he's kicked out. Then he'll be arrested & jailed (1000 years in the pit), and then released to make his closing argument ("try to tempt the world again"), only to be sentenced (destroyed) in the end.

...however...

Only by the testimony of 2 or more witnesses can any matter be established (as true). Christ proved that man could resist temptation, live righteously till death and that Satan is guilty...but legally Christ's sole testimony isn't enough to convict Satan (as God is *perfect* Justice)...that's why even though "it is finished" and "[he] saw Satan fall like lightning", Satan MUST be allowed to perform his piece-de-resistance of deception to prove Christ's testimony without a shadow of a doubt. So we've still got remaining drama to finish in this story.

Not having much time left, this is the reason for the layers & layers of deception and distraction. Only those who have "the testimony of Christ" (like those apostles of the 1st century) will finally prove Satan guilty (as "the witnesses"), but if he can manage to keep everyone blinded, deceived, distracted and entertained (he hopes) that day may never come, proving Christ's testimony isn't true.

Anyway, this is what I've pieced together standing on biblical principles...

 

[4enlightment]

How many "Christians" know that the Bible identifies Satan as the ruler of the world? (John 16:11; 12:31) (Eph 2:2) (Rev 16:14) does it mean?

Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

Luke 22:53Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.”

 

[Hizikyah]

God gave Adam dominion over all of the earth and this has never changed (as God's word can't be voided); man has dominion...but in yielding to "That Old Serpent", Adam yields his authority to Satan<snip>

Great point very often forgotten.

Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

Yahshua the Messiah never never rebuked satan saying, "no you cant give that power, its not yours." Look at our "world leaders" almost all of them in real power are satan worshippers. Doubt that? watch this... presidents and world leaders worshipping satan at the "grove" (documentary)

The Order Of Death - Alex Jones Documentary - YouTube

 

[4enlightment]

Great point very often forgotten.



Yahshua the Messiah never never rebuked satan saying, "no you cant give that power, its not yours." Look at our "world leaders" almost all of them in real power are satan worshippers. Doubt that? watch this... presidents and world leaders worshipping satan at the "grove" (documentary)

The Order Of Death - Alex Jones Documentary - YouTube

All the things that Mankind has create on this earth was do to sin. We build structures to protect ourselves from bad weather, evil elements and perverted minds, but all of this wasn't like this in the beginning. Like an dominoes effect all the things was created from the sin of Adam. But we became fond of this lifestyle that we can't relinquish from it. Jesus has came to restore us.

Matthew 19:8Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.

Matthew 21:40“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

Romans 16:20The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Genesis 28:12He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

Job 1:7The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”

Revelation 12:9The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Revelation 20:10And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

 

[Hizikyah]

All the things that Mankind has create on this earth was do to sin. We build structures to protect ourselves from bad weather, evil elements and perverted minds, but all of this wasn't like this in the beginning. Like an dominoes effect all the things was created from the sin of Adam. But we became fond of this lifestyle that we can't relinquish from it. Jesus has came to restore us.

Isayah 24:1-6, "Behold, Yahweh makes the earth empty and makes it waste, perverts the face of it and scatters abroad its inhabitants; And it will be: as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his owner; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with him who takes usury, so with him who gives usury to him: The land will be utterly emptied and utterly plundered, for Yahweh has spoken this word. The earth mourns and fades away, the world mourns and fades away, and the haughty people of the earth alanguish. The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants of it, because they have transgressed the Laws, changed the ordinance, and broken the everlasting covenant. Because of this, the curse has devoured the earth, and they who dwell therein are desolate; therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left."

Matthew 19:8

Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.

Matthew 21:40“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

Romans 16:20The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Genesis 28:12He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

Job 1:7The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”

Revelation 12:9The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Revelation 20:10And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

great verses

 

[2Tim3vs16]

The only thing that is true is what God says. You shouldn't listen to what others are saying, unless you find that what they are saying is the same thing the Bible says. Jesus said that the ideas that he taught were from God, his/our Heavenly Father. He passed on God's true message and told us to do the same thing with the same due diligence to maintain truth as he did.

Please do, study this more, because we will lose the battle if we don't know and understand how the enemy thinks and operates.

 

[2Tim3vs16]

Not all Christians believe this "God has restored man to union wiht him thorugh his son. One day God will resotre nature to its perfect order. " Because it contradicts the dogma/doctrine that all go to heaven. How did you get this understanding?

 

[2Tim3vs16]

Doesn't the Bible tell the story of Satan's rebellion? Satan rejected his Heavenly Fathers authority and decided that he's going to be his own authority. That same spirit of independence and self interests is what humans often choose. Rather, that reflect Christ's spirit of obedience to his Heavenly Father. Christ showed the contrast by example and teaching.

Satan doesn't recognize a ruler, but that doesn't mean he's not judged and going to be punished for his crime of disobedience. No one put Satan up to it.

 

[overcomer2]

Yes, he is ruler. When Adam sinned the transfer was complete. But, his time is running out. He has 6000 years. The 7th day God rested. One day with the Lord 1000 years for us. We are coming up to the time of rest (1000 years).

 

[mwFerguson_MTh]

The Devil is the ruler of the world...What does this mean?

Not much. People are the rulers of the world, not the people of nobility, supernatural creatures, life-like entities, or spiritual institutions we allow to influence/control our minds and lives.

 

[Graybeard]

It means the Devil is the ruler of this world!

 

[directline2iam]

It means that when satan tempted eve, And eve sinned. Satan gained control of the earth.

The earth was Gods, nature was in perfect harmony. Man was in perfect harmony with God. Satan came and through mans rebellion destroyed that.

Since then. nature and man has been out of its intended state. God has restored man to union wiht him thorugh his son. One day God will resotre nature to its perfect order. But until then. Satan still has the power and the authority to do as he wishes. As long as God allows him to (ie Job and Peter)

Jesus said ALL power is given unto me in heaven and on earth, not some power, ALL power. This power is given through the Holy Spirit to us who believe and that power can nock satan like lightening fall from heaven.

 

[2Tim3vs16]

"We can make some really smart sounding arguments about why God hasn't destroyed Satan already, or why God lets Satan have any athority here on earth, but in the end, all we have is conjecture."

"Conjecture" that's the problem that seems to separate people from God. He doesn't want his people arguing, because that's what Satan wants. Divisions. God told us to preach HIS word, not our opinion of what it is. Why would a Master give his subjects a very important mission then not be very clear about his expectations or even give them accurate details to accomplish it? If we read are learning the scriptures together and what HE's saying, instead of arguing our own opinions "conjecture", then we get the answers. God's reasoning is so beyond ours and he tells us exactly why hasn't destroyed Satan already at (2Pet 3:9) Mercy. God's mercy has allowed us time to learn his expectations and make a choice. He never gave up wanting the whole earth to be inhabited by perfect humans. It would've been uncharacteristic of God to not instruct humans accordingly.

God not only gave us his book of instruction to teach us his ways and expectations; He sent his son, Christ Jesus to teach us (John 17:3-8) contrary to popular belief, Christ did not just come to earth to die.

I don't know where you worship, but just like in Christs day, his followers are gathering studying the Bible and finding answers to questions you say are left up to our own understandings. God clearly tells us not to lean on our own understanding. (Prov 5:3) Isn't that why you go to church? To study the Bible? Doesn't everyone in your church share the same understanding of the scriptures the same way, and nurtured to apply them the way Christ did and told us to? Why would a Christian ever argue with another if they are in fact studying the same material with God's Holy Spirit aiding their understanding? Christ said his congregation would be one. United with him as he is with God.

"why God lets Satan have any athority here on earth?" That's in the book of Job.

 

[john832]

Yes, he is ruler. When Adam sinned the transfer was complete. But, his time is running out. He has 6000 years. The 7th day God rested. One day with the Lord 1000 years for us. We are coming up to the time of rest (1000 years).

Exactly, that is what the seventh day pictures, the rest of the Millenium when...

Isa 14:6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.

When he is incarcerated...

Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

And the result is...

Isa 14:7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.

 

[john832]

It means the Devil is the ruler of this world!

Yep, Exactly! It means exactly what it says.

 

[Anna20fAustralia]

Satan is real, believe me. I have had Satan in my life and he is a very real force. I've said before that I don't feel that it is health to become 'obsessed' with Satan and demons, but it is silly to deny that eveil exists. There is a real battle and war going on, and Satan is on the other side. Lust, pride, greed, all the sins have him nearby.

 

[eternally-gratefull]

Jesus said ALL power is given unto me in heaven and on earth, not some power, ALL power. This power is given through the Holy Spirit to us who believe and that power can nock satan like lightening fall from heaven.

yep it can. But satan still rules the earth and those in it who are not gods.. he is their father, and the father of all lies.