Have you ever wondered why Satan is still around? I mean if Jesus defeated him at the cross, what is the point, right? Well, turns out that this is a lot deeper than we care to know.
The modern church is pretty much “in the dark” when it comes to spiritual matters. Don’t believe me? Open the paper, turn on the television, or log in to your favorite news source. The church is focused on things that do not matter. In the meanwhile, Satan is alive and well on planet earth. Why are churches afraid to mention him? Why do they preach that there is an end coming for him but refuse to delve into what it is, how it is, why it is, and when it is. Is it perhaps his influence?
Let’s start with the church itself. If you go to church, start observing your surroundings. Nothing kooky, just observe. While reading your Bible, see if any of it makes sense biblically. Seriously, see if it makes sense. I challenge you to find anything that even resembles the early church. When I say early church, I am referring to the immediate eleven apostles and their ministry of spreading the word and how they met to worship.
They worshiped and they preached. You can’t find where they did the two together. Nonetheless, it is important to see how far the church has strayed from its origin.
Matthew 28:19-20 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen”.
When is the last time you personally led someone to the Lord and then taught them what He commanded us? Jesus’ life was full of tumult and rightly so; He was disrupting the status quo. But even deeper than that, He was disrupting Satan’s dominion. Let’s delve a little deeper to see what his dominion was, and possibly still is.
The Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, and all Jewish leadership hated Jesus. Why? He was teaching the scriptures, was He not? And if He was truly the Son of God, He definitely knew them better than the leadership. Perhaps they were not following them properly? Is that even possible? Sure it is. Maybe this is why they did not like Him.
Matthew 27:62-66 “Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch”.
Let’s apply simple logic. If they were the most learned men and knew the scriptures inside and out, and had been waiting on the Messiah their entire life, would it not make sense that if the scripture said He would rise again on the third day that they would have been joyous to have made a mistake and would have asked for forgiveness, sacrificed something, and went to meet Him? Since we are not dealing with logic, let us approach it a different way. The leadership knew the truth and chose to hide from it. How do you know?
Matthew 28:11-15 “Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day”.
They not only paid the soldiers to lie, they agreed to lie to the governor for them. If you are truly looking for the truth, and you see it and deny it, you are guilty. So here is the bigger question. Why? Why lie and pay others to lie? Very simple; status quo. They were given positions of authority and had no desire to relinquish them. With that in mind, who else comes to mind? Lucifer “AKA” Satan, that’s who. Lucifer has taken up residency in the church. Don’t believe me? Look around next time you are in church.
Jude 3-4 “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ”.
If their job is to disrupt, who appointed them? God? Not hardly. Why would Lucifer want to disrupt church? The simplest answer is this is where to find the ones that are easiest to fool. When is the last time you saw a Bible in church? If you did, were there pages turning IF your pastor read a scripture?
We learn from Acts 17:11 that the Bereans tested the things Paul said to make sure they were correct. Paul? Are you serious? Yes, Paul and you should check everyone that tells you something; including this blog.
Which brings us back to our original question, "why would Satan continue if Jesus defeated him at the cross?" The work of salvation was complete, but the entire work was not complete. The “time of Jacob’s trouble” or “the great tribulation” is designed to drive Israel’s back to the wall so they will cry out for their Messiah. If they do not cry out, Jesus will not come back.
Hosea 5:15 “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early”.
The whole purpose of the great tribulation is to pour out God’s wrath and give Israel the opportunity to cry out for their redeemer. By doing this, they will be acknowledging their offense, as it says. Satan understands how it is done and has tried many times to end the Israelites. From Hayman to Hitler, extinction of the Jews is first and foremost on his mind. If he can do away with the Jews, then he will have free reign to continue as he always has. First Jesus redeemed the people, then He will redeem Israel. The next time you wonder why Satan is still trying, maybe this will help.