There is something which is called 'The mystery of God', which is only ended when the Lord returns at the seventh trumpet. Rev 10v7, Eph 3v9,10, 3v9-11, Rom 16v25,26. There is also a reference to 'the mystery of iniquity' which was already working in Paul's day, but was hindered from completion by God until He was ready to allow it. The word 'mystery' does not mean mysterious, but simply a secret hidden from the outsider but revealed to the initiated, e.g. the secret teaching of Freemasons, which is only known to them. Thus both God and Satan have plans which are hidden from the man in the street, but are revealed to their own children. The Christian, of course, knows the truth, but the ordinary Spiritist is deceived by his master. Only a few know the deep things of Satan. Luke 10v24, 1Peter 1v10-12, John 15v14,15, Rev 1v1, 2v24, 2Thess 2v7.
The Mystery of God.
The world does not credit God with any plan at all. To them it all seems a meaningless jumble without any particular purpose. Indeed, the world conceives of God as a fool who can't see His own kingdom. As a matter of fact, however, the intention of God is to put both Heaven and Earth under the rule of His Son Jesus and His bride (i.e. the Church), and to fulfil upon the earth the promise made to Abraham and his seed, Israel, that they should inherit the earth. The inhabited earth to come is not again to be put under angels, but under Christ and His brethren who overcame. Heb 2v5-13, Rom 8v12-39, Luke 19v11-27, Rev 21v7. There must therefore be begotten, educated and tested, a sufficiently large number of overcoming Sons to take the place of the present world rulers, i.e. Satan's angels, now in the first heaven but later to be cast out upon the earth, and finally into Hell. Dan 10v13-21, Rev 12v7-9, Matt 25v41, 1Cor 9v24-27, 12v31, Eph 6v12, 2Tim 4v8, James 1v12, 1Peter 5v1-4.
Now this depends not upon God but upon His children. If the Church was faithful, then the time would have been shortened, but unfortunately there have been centuries where the Gospel has hardly ever been preached at all, so hardly any overcomers have arisen as kings and priests. Therefore, the length of this period, though known to God, was not revealed to His sons lest they should be tempted to grow slack and say, 'the time is not yet,' or forget that the length of the interval depended on their exertions, and that they would hasten or retard the day of Christ or lose a crown through carelessness. 2Peter 3v12, Rev 3v11. When, however, the Lord knows that the requisite numbers of overcomers is to hand, then He will stand aside and allow Satan to proceed with His plan. 2Thess 2v6-12.
The Mystery of Satan. 2Thess 2v7, Rev 2v24.
Satan and his angels are already doomed to Hell for the ages of ages (because of their impenitence and wickedness) and therefore have no hope of success, or of establishing any successful kingdom upon earth. However, being filled with a murderous hatred of God and man, they desire to damage them as much as possible before their own final ruin. Therefore, during the last seven years of this age they will stage a kind of mock kingdom of Heaven upon earth, a Devilish parody of God's Millennial kingdom, even using God's city and Temple for this purpose. God will allow Satan to do this fearful thing for the following reasons amongst others.
a) To show mankind the madness of preferring Satan to Jesus, and thus bring them to repentance and a willingness to accept Jesus as Lord. This folly has wrecked the human race since Eden, but this fearful experience will bring to an end to Satan's power of deception during the Millennium, his mask will be torn off and he will be seen for what he is, the enemy of man. Gen 2 all, Acts 3v14, Rev 13v7,10,15, John 8v44.
b) To show the Jews the madness of rejecting their Messiah, and so bring them to a willingness to accept Jesus as Lord.
c) To break the pride of the Gentiles by giving them an opportunity one by one, and finally all combined, to govern the world according to their own ideas so that any hope of happiness apart from God may be finally shattered by their own failure. This will make them willing to accept God's plan of learning about Him from the despised Jews. Zech 8v23. Following Antichrist will result in the complete collapse of society and bring the earth to the brink of destruction, from which Christ will deliver them at the last moment, so that the few remaining Jews and Gentiles will enter into the Millennium broken and shocked by the judgement of God. Zech 12 all, Isaiah 13v9-16. As were Noah and his family when they saw the ruin caused by the flood and obliged, and at any rate happy, to submit to the iron rule of Christ and His Brethren. Psalm 2 all, Rev 12v5, 2v27, 19v15.
Thus God will use this last plan of Satan to break the pride of man, and when this is accomplished will imprison Him until He has again need of him to test the inhabitants of the Millennial earth. The human race as a whole will have had an experience similar to that of the prodigal son, and will return to God only after the terrible experience of trusting the Devil, having learned to obey God by the things they have suffered. It is of first importance to remember that against God Satan has absolutely no power. No evil being, demon or man can do anything other than what God permits. 2Chron 18v18-22, Job 1v12, Matt 8v31, Psalm 76v10. Satan is wholly a tool in the hands of God to punish the wicked, to correct the righteous, 1Tim 1v20, 1Cor 5v5, to bring glory to the Sons of God, Eph 6v10-20, Job.1 and 2. James 1v12, to test the true character of everyone. Rev 20v7,10, Matt 4v1. Against us Satan only has the power that is given to him by God. Job.1 all. Against God he is helpless. Rev 20v1-3. God alone knows the length of this period of waiting, Matt 24v36, Mark 13v32, Acts 1v7, but God’s children will know when the last seven years, and the Great Tribulation begins. Matt 24v15-22, Dan 9v27, 2Thess 2v1-12.
Yahweh Shalom.
The Mystery of God.
The world does not credit God with any plan at all. To them it all seems a meaningless jumble without any particular purpose. Indeed, the world conceives of God as a fool who can't see His own kingdom. As a matter of fact, however, the intention of God is to put both Heaven and Earth under the rule of His Son Jesus and His bride (i.e. the Church), and to fulfil upon the earth the promise made to Abraham and his seed, Israel, that they should inherit the earth. The inhabited earth to come is not again to be put under angels, but under Christ and His brethren who overcame. Heb 2v5-13, Rom 8v12-39, Luke 19v11-27, Rev 21v7. There must therefore be begotten, educated and tested, a sufficiently large number of overcoming Sons to take the place of the present world rulers, i.e. Satan's angels, now in the first heaven but later to be cast out upon the earth, and finally into Hell. Dan 10v13-21, Rev 12v7-9, Matt 25v41, 1Cor 9v24-27, 12v31, Eph 6v12, 2Tim 4v8, James 1v12, 1Peter 5v1-4.
Now this depends not upon God but upon His children. If the Church was faithful, then the time would have been shortened, but unfortunately there have been centuries where the Gospel has hardly ever been preached at all, so hardly any overcomers have arisen as kings and priests. Therefore, the length of this period, though known to God, was not revealed to His sons lest they should be tempted to grow slack and say, 'the time is not yet,' or forget that the length of the interval depended on their exertions, and that they would hasten or retard the day of Christ or lose a crown through carelessness. 2Peter 3v12, Rev 3v11. When, however, the Lord knows that the requisite numbers of overcomers is to hand, then He will stand aside and allow Satan to proceed with His plan. 2Thess 2v6-12.
The Mystery of Satan. 2Thess 2v7, Rev 2v24.
Satan and his angels are already doomed to Hell for the ages of ages (because of their impenitence and wickedness) and therefore have no hope of success, or of establishing any successful kingdom upon earth. However, being filled with a murderous hatred of God and man, they desire to damage them as much as possible before their own final ruin. Therefore, during the last seven years of this age they will stage a kind of mock kingdom of Heaven upon earth, a Devilish parody of God's Millennial kingdom, even using God's city and Temple for this purpose. God will allow Satan to do this fearful thing for the following reasons amongst others.
a) To show mankind the madness of preferring Satan to Jesus, and thus bring them to repentance and a willingness to accept Jesus as Lord. This folly has wrecked the human race since Eden, but this fearful experience will bring to an end to Satan's power of deception during the Millennium, his mask will be torn off and he will be seen for what he is, the enemy of man. Gen 2 all, Acts 3v14, Rev 13v7,10,15, John 8v44.
b) To show the Jews the madness of rejecting their Messiah, and so bring them to a willingness to accept Jesus as Lord.
c) To break the pride of the Gentiles by giving them an opportunity one by one, and finally all combined, to govern the world according to their own ideas so that any hope of happiness apart from God may be finally shattered by their own failure. This will make them willing to accept God's plan of learning about Him from the despised Jews. Zech 8v23. Following Antichrist will result in the complete collapse of society and bring the earth to the brink of destruction, from which Christ will deliver them at the last moment, so that the few remaining Jews and Gentiles will enter into the Millennium broken and shocked by the judgement of God. Zech 12 all, Isaiah 13v9-16. As were Noah and his family when they saw the ruin caused by the flood and obliged, and at any rate happy, to submit to the iron rule of Christ and His Brethren. Psalm 2 all, Rev 12v5, 2v27, 19v15.
Thus God will use this last plan of Satan to break the pride of man, and when this is accomplished will imprison Him until He has again need of him to test the inhabitants of the Millennial earth. The human race as a whole will have had an experience similar to that of the prodigal son, and will return to God only after the terrible experience of trusting the Devil, having learned to obey God by the things they have suffered. It is of first importance to remember that against God Satan has absolutely no power. No evil being, demon or man can do anything other than what God permits. 2Chron 18v18-22, Job 1v12, Matt 8v31, Psalm 76v10. Satan is wholly a tool in the hands of God to punish the wicked, to correct the righteous, 1Tim 1v20, 1Cor 5v5, to bring glory to the Sons of God, Eph 6v10-20, Job.1 and 2. James 1v12, to test the true character of everyone. Rev 20v7,10, Matt 4v1. Against us Satan only has the power that is given to him by God. Job.1 all. Against God he is helpless. Rev 20v1-3. God alone knows the length of this period of waiting, Matt 24v36, Mark 13v32, Acts 1v7, but God’s children will know when the last seven years, and the Great Tribulation begins. Matt 24v15-22, Dan 9v27, 2Thess 2v1-12.
Yahweh Shalom.
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