The Truth That Leads to Eternal Live - THE DEVIL IS THE "RULER OF THIS WORLD"

 Three times in the Bible book of John we read that the Lord Jesus Christ called the Devil "the ruler of this world. (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) At 2 Corinthians 4:4 he is referred to as "the god of this system of things." Does this mean, then, that all nations of the earth are under the control of Satan the Devil? The Bible answers: "The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one." (1 John 5:19) The Devil, as "ruler of the world," exercises great influence on men, overreaching them and even controlling political governments. - REVELATION 16:13, 14. 

If you will open your Bible to Revelation 12:9, you will see that the Devil is described as "the great dragon." In the next chapter, verses 1 and 2, we are told that this dragon, the Devil gave power and a throne and great authority to what is symbolically called the "wild beast" out of the sea. What is symbolic "wild beast"? Well, over what authority does hold authority? What did he offer to Jesus Christ? "All the kingdoms of the inhabited earth." (Luke 4:5-8) Jesus quickly rejected that offer, but he did not deny that the Devil ruled over the political kingdoms of the earth. In harmony with this Revelation 13:7 says concerning the symbolic "wild beast," that "authority was given it over every tribe and people and tongue and nation."  Further, with what did the prophet Daniel identify certain beasts? With "kingdoms," or political governments. (Daniel 7:2-7. 17. 23) That the symbolic beasts of Daniel's vision and the "wild beast" of Revelation have a similar meaning is seen from the fact that both accounts refer to the same kind of creatures: a lion, a bear, a leopard and a ten-horned beast. (Revelation 13:1, 2) So the "wild beast" represents the Devil's entire political organization that exercised beastlike rule over the earth throughout the centuries until now. No wonder Jesus Christ said: "My kingdom is no part of this world." And no wonder that his followers would be no part of the world either, that is, they would avoid getting involved in its affairs. - JOHN 18:36; 17:14-16. 

Next time: The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life - KEEP FREE FROM EVERY FORM OF SPIRITISM

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