WHO IS THE RULER OF THIS WORLD?
People often ask, "Why do bad things happen to good people? Why doesn't God stop all the evil that goes on in the world, since He has all power? And even some refuse to believe there is a God, because they see all the suffering, the injustice, the hunger, and the evil of this world----and they blame God for it. Who are we supposed to blame? How would you look at things, if you knew that God was not the God of this world yet... And, what does the Bible
say about who runs things on this earth right now?Luke 4:5-8
The devil led Him (Christ) up to a high place and showed Him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to Him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours." Jesus answered, "It is written: "Worship the Lord your God and serve him only." NIVDid you notice that Christ did not argue with Satan when he boasted that he would give Christ authority over the kingdoms of the world if He would bow down and worship him? Christ knew that Satan had authority over the nations. But, He also knew that if He waited patiently that He would soon replace Satan as ruler of this world.
So when you see all sorts of disturbing things going on in the world, don't blame God. He has a "hands off policy" for the time being. At some point, though, Satan will realize that his "time is short" as ruler of the earth, and that the jig is almost up for him and due to that, he will nearly destroy the whole world in His resistance against giving up his power over the nations. Revelation 12:12 says, "But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short." NIV The whole book of Revelation is about Satan's attempt to destroy not only the whole world, but especially those who are obedient to God.
Satan the devil will finally be ousted as ruler of this world and Jesus Christ will become supreme ruler of the nations. (Psalms 2) At the return of Christ, the angels will publicly proclaim it. Revelation 11:15-18 says, "....And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" It continues to say,
And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God." "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth. NKJV
Satan would like for you to lay the responsibility for this messed up world at the feet of God. Satan doesn't want you to understand that God is not the God of this world right now. Nor does he want you to understand that he has deceived the whole world. Revelation 12:9 And honestly, that tells us that most people will not understand what is going on until the whole world falls apart and God picks up the pieces and puts everything back together right.
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