Athen's Library

THE SECOND ADVENT

THE COMING OF “ONE LIKE THE SON OF MAN”

Letter #13 In The Series

March April 1999

War in Heaven and Earth

I would like to insert an illustration into the beginning of this letter.  One of the men from the Congregation Sh’ma Yisrael just returned from Israel and today, Sabbath April 10, I heard him give his testimony.  He said that he had, had several opportunities to go to Israel before, but this was the first time that he felt the Lord calling him to go.  As an intercessory pray counselor he felt the Lord was calling him to go and pray for Israel.  There was a group of forty or so who made this trip to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and when they arrived and began to pray he heard the Lord tell him that His heart was fragmented. I feel this testimony goes right along with this letter so I would like to draw a comparison here at the beginning.

We know that the life is in the blood and if the heart is not working properly the flow of life giving blood does not reach all the parts of the body.  We also know that Jesus died of a broken heart (the term fragmented brings fresh insight) and ever since the body of Christ has not been receiving that life giving blood. For any part of the body to have healing there has to be a healing process.  It is for this reason that the Second Advent must take place. Just as the 70 week prophetic prophecy pointed out the time for the Messiah of the First Advent to come and die of a broken heart, this same 70 week prophecy, in its literal application, will point out the time of the Messiah of the Second Advent who comes as the “Conquering King”.  This repeat of the 70 week prophecy will bring healing to the body of Christ.  At this time the body will enjoy a full life of health and happiness.  The reason this illustration goes along with this letter about war is because the Advent of the Conquering King brings war to the Earth.

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Revelation 12:7-9.

And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. Revelation 13:11-18.

This beast, the one who had two horns like a lamb and who spoke as a dragon, came up out of the EARTH.  While the beasts that came before him, came up out of the Sea, the old country, or the place where the Angel of Revelation 10 has His right foot.  The reason this beast speaks as a dragon is that the great dragon was cast out (out of heaven), that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceived the whole world was cast out into the earth, or the place where the Angel of Revelation 10 has His left foot.  The Devil using this place for his headquarters, and the Government thereof to enforce his laws, makes the beast speak as he does.  John beheld the beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb.  The two horns like a lamb according to Luke 1:69 are horns of salvation.  We know that Jesus is the lamb and now we see that the horn is also Jesus so the lamb like horns represents Jesus in the plan of salvation.  Two horns equal two ways, one is salvation for those who have died through the judgment of the dead and the other is salvation for the living through the judgment of the living.  Both of these judgments bring salvation by bringing the saved into His kingdom.  This prophecy of Jesus says, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, Luke 1:69-73.  This says that we are to be saved from our enemies; if we are to be saved from our enemies by these horns then there must be war and Satan must be bound.

The Earth, being a new country, or the stone kingdom of Daniel 2, is an extension of Heaven.  This is the place God chooses to set up His kingdom.  And Satan says ...I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Isaiah 14:13-14. The mount of the congregation is God’s church on Earth today who has accepted the understanding that was given by a prophet of the 2300 day prophecy.  “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”  The heights of the clouds according to Psalms 97:2 is God’s throne, Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.

The woman, Church, fled into the wilderness.  The wilderness is the uninhabited place or the Earth, and the Earth is where the Devil lands when he is cast out of Heaven.  In the story of Job, God says, have you considered my servant Job?  Job went through a testing time to prove to the universe he loved the Lord with all his heart, mind and soul.  Now it is time for the Church to prove her loyalty so she can enter into that rest that God has promised.

Satan is not cast into the World neither the Sea but the Earth. The Earth is the Lord’s, Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. Exodus 19:5-6.  Here is a dual prophecy showing that when the Lord brings His people into the Earth He will make them into a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.  The Earth is the USA, and the Lord says He will bring the people from the east and the west and bring them into the “midst of Jerusalem” the middle of Jerusalem is the USA.  And this is the only place big enough to hold the people from the east and the west.  The Lord uses the birth of the Earth to represent the Stone of Daniel 2 in the first application and the birth of His Child to represent the final application of the Stone that is cut out with out hands, showing location and leadership of His kingdom.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness. Zechariah 8:7-8.

And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one. Zechariah 14:9.

And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. Daniel 2:44-45.

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 12:17.

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. Isaiah 14:12-15.

The war in heaven was fought with “Words”.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Ephesians 6:17.

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. Revelation 1:16.

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14.

Here we see that Satan is transformed into an angel of light and he was cast out into the earth and shall show great signs and wonders so that, if it were possible, he shall deceive the very elect.  Satan trying to be “like” God, tries to do like God, but with lies his words are not a two edged sword.  Satan makes war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ and he takes over their headquarters by the same lie that he told Jesus.  Like Eve, some of the leading brethren, with the desire to be in the leadership, fall for and make a way for him to set up his tabernacle so he can receive worship.

And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. Daniel 11:45.

By putting his headquarters in the denomination that came from the end of the prophetic prophecy of the 2300 days he sets himself up to deceive the very elect.  Sister White says that there are “nominal”, or in name only, Adventists in the church and these people will help Satan with his deception.  When Jesus was in the wilderness Satan offered Him the Kingdoms of this World; so he will offer the leaders high positions in his kingdom.  From these positions they will aid Satan in causing a lot of heartache among the Sabbath keeping people. An example is how in Germany fearful citizen’s turned in the Jews to their leaders in order to keep themselves out of trouble.  One place Sister White says something to this effect; we have more to fear from within than without.

And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. Luke 4:5-7.

Satan came as an angel of light in the wilderness of temptation to deceive Christ; and he does not come to man in a hideous form, as he is sometimes represented, but as an angel of light. He will come personating Jesus Christ, working mighty miracles; and men will fall down and worship him as Jesus Christ. We shall be commanded to worship this being, whom the world will glorify as Christ. What shall we do?-Tell them Christ has warned us against just such a foe, who is man’s worst enemy, yet who claims to be God; and that when Christ shall make His appearance, it will be with power and great glory, accompanied by ten thousand times ten thousand angels and thousands of thousands; and that when He shall come, we shall know His voice. 6 B. C. p 1105-6.

Satan’s policy in this final conflict with God’s people is the same that he employed in the opening of the great controversy in heaven. He professed to be seeking to promote the stability of the divine government, while secretly bending every effort to secure its overthrow. And the very work which he was thus endeavoring to accomplish he charged upon the loyal angels. The same policy of deception has marked the history of the Roman Church. It has professed to act as the vicegerent of Heaven, while seeking to exalt itself above God and to change His laws. Under the rule of Rome, those who suffered death for their fidelity to the Gospel were denounced as evildoers; they were declared to be in league with Satan; and every possible means was employed to cover them with reproach, to cause them to appear in the eyes of the people and even to themselves as vilest of criminals. So it will be now. While Satan seeks to destroy those who honor God’s law, he will cause them to be accused as lawbreakers, as men who are dishonoring God and bringing Judgments upon the world. G. C. p591.

Here we see that Ellen White is making a comparison with the Roman power, (Church of Rome), and Satan. Just as the Roman power came to the early Christian church and planted its tabernacle there, so in our day Satan will come to the remnant church, the one which comes out of the wilderness, and plant his tabernacle there. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. Daniel 11:45. Between the seas, people and the glorious holy mountain, God’s Kingdom.

Lucifer started sin in Heaven and that sin caused there to be war in Heaven.  After being cast into the Earth, he and those who chose to follow him have continued to make war with Christ and those who choose to follow Him.  We are now near six thousand years of controversy between Christ and His Church and Satan and his angels.  As in the creation week, God rested from His work on the 7^th day, so Satan has been given six thousand years to show the fruits of sin, but in the 7^th thousand years God will bring His rest to the people who have come into His kingdom.  Then God will bind Satan bringing His rest to the whole Earth like He brought His rest to Heaven.

The people who think they are in the remnant church even though they have refused to believe that God’s Remnant Church will be led by a prophet, will be able to watch where Satan goes to make war.  They will be glad that they are not the ones that Satan is currently making war with, not realizing he is in fact making war with them because he is making all nations “drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication”, and the only hope for any of these people is to flee to “the mountain of the house of the Lord”.  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Revelation 18:4.  In fleeing to the mountain they will have heard and answered the call to come out.

People that have rejected the truths that God has given through His servants, the prophets, will have a hard time believing that “the message that joins the third angel” will be the one that will prepare the place to which we must flee.  “Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his deceptions.” People holding to these two understandings will have to make a decision for God or to continue with Satan as their leader. And when they see Satan bound then they still will have to make a decision.  The decisions we make from day to day are the decisions that will bring us to a saving place or bundle us with the wicked waiting for hell fire.

The time is coming when Satan will work miracles right in your sight, claiming that he is Christ; and if your feet are not firmly established upon the truth of God, then you will be led away from your foundation. The only safety for you is to search for truth as for hid treasures. Dig for the truth as you would for treasures in the earth, and present the word of God, the bible, before your Heavenly Father  and say, Enlighten me; teach me what is truth.... You should store the mind with the word of God; for you may be separated, and placed where you will not have the privilege of meeting with the children of God. 7 B. C. p 911.

I (Ellen White) saw the rapidity with which this delusion was spreading. A train of cars was shown me, going with the speed of lightning. The angel bade me look carefully. I fixed my eyes upon the train. It seemed that the whole world was on board, that there could not be one left. Said the angel, “They are binding in bundles ready to burn.” Then he showed me the conductor, who appeared like a stately, fair person, whom all the passengers looked up to and reverenced. I was perplexed and asked my attending angel who it was. He said, “It is Satan. He is the conductor in the form of an angel of light. He has taken the world captive. They are given over to strong delusions, to believe a lie, that they may be damned. This agent, the next highest in order to him, is the engineer, and other of his agents are employed in different offices as he may need them, and they are all going with lightning speed to perdition.” E. W. p88.

“This agent, the next highest in order to him (Satan), is the engineer, and other of his agents are employed in different offices as he may need them”.  This does not say that these helpers are evil angels.  These are his helpers they have different offices or positions, both in the church and the government, and they will help to deceive those in the church and the world.

And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. Revelation 13:15-18.

Some may say how can this be for this is the number of a man?  We see that in Isaiah talking about Satan it says, They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; Isaiah 14:16.

Through the two great errors, the immortality of the soul and Sunday sacredness, Satan will bring the people under his deceptions. While the former lays the foundation of spiritualism. The latter creates a bond of sympathy with Rome. The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp the hand with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience.

As spiritualism more closely imitates the nominal Christianity of the day, it has great power to deceive and ensnare. Satan himself is converted, after the modern order of things. He will appear in the character of an angel of light. Through the agency of spiritualism, miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and many undeniable wonders will be performed. And as the spirits profess faith in the Bible, and manifest respect for the institutions of the church, their work will be accepted as a manifestations of divine power. Great Controversy p588.

I saw that God has honest children among the nominal Adventists and the fallen churches, and before the plagues shall be poured out, ministers and people will be called out from these churches and will gladly receive the truth. Satan knows this; and before the loud cry of the third angel is given, he raises an excitement in these religious bodies, that those who  have rejected the truth may think that God is with them. He hopes to deceive the honest and lead them to think that God is still working for the churches. But the light will shine, and all who are honest will leave the fallen churches, and take their stand with the remnant. Early Writings p261.

This is the repeat of the first and second angels’ messages, the fall of Babylon.  When the churches did not accept the message that came out of the end of the 2300 day/year prophecy, then the churches became Babylon, or confusion.  The peoples, nations or kingdoms that do not accept God’s kingdom become “Babylon the Great”.  “Babylon the Great” with Satan as there leader makes war with God’s kingdom, this war is the “great time of tribulation”.  This is the time that God chooses to lighten the Earth with His Glory. (Revelation 18).

The only safety now is to search for the truth as revealed in the word of God, as for hid treasure. The subjects of the Sabbath, the nature of man, and the testimony of Jesus are the great and important truths to be understood; these will prove an anchor to hold God’s people in these perilous times. But the mass of mankind depise the truth of God’s word and prefer fables. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: II Th 2:10-11. 1T. P 300.

The subject of the third angel’s message is “the Sabbath, the Sanctuary and the state of the dead”.  In the Sabbath is the “Seal of the living God”.  The Sanctuary contains the testimony of Jesus, for the two Tablets of Stone (Testimony) that Moses broke represent the Messiah that was broken for us.  Because of sin “the state of the dead” shows us the nature of man, “The wages of sin is death”.  “The living know that they will die but the dead know not anything”.  God gave the gift of prophecy to the church.  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: Ephesians 4:11-13.

If we say that our church has a prophet but that person is dead then we are no different from any church for ALL CHRISTIANITY has prophets for they have the Bible which is written by prophets.  The testimony of Jesus is the knowledge of the Son of God and is an unfolding of truth to every generation; and as we come to the harvest we find a whole new understanding of Jesus’ work.  A misunderstanding of this work is what Satan is going to use to confuse the world.  He will use the prophecy of Daniel 8, 9 and set up his tabernacle like the papal power did during the prophetic application.

Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Malachi 4:4.

Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. Deuteronomy 4:5-6.

When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. Deuteronomy 4:30-31.

Here we see that during the time that the streets are being built, (for they are built during the time of tribulation, and the 3 1/2 years of the Antichrist, the time of the great tribulation), even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.  This time of tribulation is when Isaiah 2 tells us that we should flee to the Mountain of the House of the Lord, and the people will come out of Babylon, the Nations and will come to the Lord.

The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD. Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers. Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots: Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made: And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not. Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall, And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures. And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. And the idols he shall utterly abolish. And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of? Isaiah 2:1-22.

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. Acts 3:19-21.

Restitution

When God made man He formed him from the dust of the ground, Earth.  These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:4-7.

After man was made God put him in the garden.  ...for all the earth is mine... Exodus 19:5.  From the beginning God used the Earth to make man and now He is using the Earth to bring restitution.  Just as God made two out of one, male and female, so He makes four out of two.  The two lamb like horns show the two times that God gave Moses the two tablets of Stone; the two that were broken and the two that Moses hewed and placed into the ark.  The two became four and the four stand for the four corners of the Earth.  Daniel says ...and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. Daniel 2:35.

In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness. Jeremiah 33:15-16.

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Jeremiah 23:5-6.

Here we see that she is in the land and he is in the earth, When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: Matt 25:31-32 ...This kingdom is yet future. It is not to be set up until the second advent of Christ. Great Controversy p347. This kingdom which is yet future is the “Kingdom of Glory”; it will be announced by God Himself at the beginning of the literal 70 weeks of Daniel 8, 9.  This kingdom is the antitype of the kingdom in the wilderness when God brought Israel out of Egypt and spoke His Law to them, and it is the one Satan so desperately wants to rule after he is cast into the Earth.

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: Isaiah 14:12-13.

Satan being “cut down to the ground” the place or substance from which God made man shows that he was given the same start as Adam.  Satan is not satisfied with his position and in his attempt (war) to take God’s Kingdom, he weakens the nations.  But it is this same Kingdom with Christ himself as the King, ruling with His Christ (own Right Arm) that brings healing to the nations.  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. Revelations 11:15.

And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Matthew 12:26-30.

The second coming is a series of events, beginning with the birth or the “cut off” of the Messiah, and the woman fleeing to the place in the wilderness.  Satan makes war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.  Satan divides the church against herself; how then shall her church, kingdom stand?  He uses this division to his advantage until the Son of Man returns with power and great Glory.  After this return, the angel of Revelation 20 comes to bind the strong man.  “But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you”.  With the binding of the man of sin, Satan, the nations are released from his bonds and Christ’s kingdom grows very rapidly.  “The Earth is lightened with His Glory”.  Revelation 18.

Athen Slawson