Satan And Our Cities

 Satan And Our Cities - by Bill Perkins - https://compass.org/satan-and-our-cities/ In the past we’ve scripturally established that in the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation the worldwide death and destruction will be horrific and led by a New World Leader. Then, in the middle of the Tribulation, the New World Leader will die and Satan will be cast from his heavenly position down to the earth where he will personally run things. And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longera place found for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. Rev. 12:7-9 This is a fascinating event. Up until this point in the Tribulation, Satan was referred to as the “god of this earth” and has access to the heavens. He works 24/7 to keeppeople from being saved. “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so thatthey will not believe and be saved.” Luke 8:11 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image ofGod. 2Cor. 4:4 Satan is so evil he doesn't want anyone to get saved by the blood of Christ. He wants them eternally dead. His worst nightmare is someone getting saved and understanding thereis power in their position afforded by the atoning blood of Christ. Instead, Satan wants humans to worship him. He even tried to get Jesus to worship him during Jesus' 40 days in the desert. And despite being warned in the Lord's DAILY prayeroutline, most Believers give lip service to the evil influence around them. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Eph. 6:11-12 But when Satan's thrown to earth he’ll be exposed for who he is—a false god. People will be dumbfounded when they see him. “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth," Is. 14:12a The next few verses are quite revealing. Using past tense, we find he weakened the nations prior to his being cast to the earth. You who have weakened the nations! Is. 14:12b And when people see him, they question whether or not he could be the one “Who made the earth a wilderness and overthrew its cities.” Apparently surprised at his magnificentbeauty. “Those who see you will gaze at you, they will ponder over you, saying, ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world like a wilderness Andoverthrew its cities," Is. 14:16-17 Ezekiel adds to Satan’s aura describing him this way: “You had the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty." Ezek. 28:12 The next couple verses describe his coverings that consisted of diamonds, rubies, emeralds and more. He must have been a sight to see. But all that wisdom and beauty must have gone to his head. In pride, he wanted more than the Lord had given him. Instead of worshiping God, he wanted to be worshiped. "I will make myself like the Most High." Is. 14:14b Pride was his chosen sin. He wanted to be God. Now before you say you would have never, never done that, remember what you were like before becoming a Believer. You were justlike Satan, you were your own god. If you're not serving God, you're serving Satan. “You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you." Ezek. 28:15 So Satan’s sin was revealed and the rest is history. But getting back to Satan’s role in the Tribulation, what's important to understand is that the devil worked through the New World Leader to make the earth a wilderness andoverthrow its cities in the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation. That means right after Rapture he’ll be unleashed to ruin the earth, and half the world dies in that 3 1/2 year period following our exit—4 billion people; 2 billion die thefirst year or two (Rev. 6:8; 9:18). What that means to you and me is that just before the Rapture we should begin seeing the beginnings of Satan's destruction of cities around the world. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; 1Th.5:5 Therefore, all we’re seeing happening to our cities today is a fulfillment of these prophecies. Sadly, what we're seeing is just the beginning of their woes. Most probablywon’t get better. Their problems won’t be solved. It will only get worse. And this is, again, worldwide. Yet witnessing all this at the end of the Church Age is "comfort" to us Believers because it just means we’re that much closer to our rescue. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we whoare alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1Th. 4:16-18