Q11 It is clear that God knows about Satan’s activities for they are revealed by the Word of God in the Bible, but the question remains, why does God allow Him to go on doing it?
The devil is come to you having great wrath, for He knoweth that He hath but a short time. Revelation 12:12.
NOTE: This Bible verse gives the important clue that answers the question. If Satan knows he has but a short time, who made this decision? Satan was thrown out of heaven by God, so it follows that God has made the decision about Satan being time limited. Satan knows God speaks truly, for his reaction is fury. This reveals the power of God over Satan. It also reveals that the progress of good and evil is being monitored, and that it is not running out of control till the world self destructs.
Q12 But why is the devil being given any time at all?
NOTE: In heaven Lucifer won a third of the angels to his rebellion against God. In the Garden of Eden Satan, as he is now known, won Adam and Eve, by casting deceptive doubt on the character of God, in particular on the truthfulness of His words, and the status of the law of His government, and its penalty of death if the law is broken.
Satan had stated that he wanted to be as God, with a throne, a kingdom, and laws and subjects. So God has given him this opportunity, but to be quarantined to this small planet. At the beginning Satan had not shown what his kingdom would be like, whether it could be a valid alternative to that of God. The principles of that kingdom, however, are now almost fully developed. It is run by deception, cruelty, force, coercion, and destruction of human life. The results are misery, torment, pain, death, tears, along with the hopelessness and perplexity of world leaders as the situation becomes more critical for the world. Satan can only pervert, he cannot create. This could not be seen at the beginning. His final aim, using any means, is a one world government with no-one to question his rulership.
Q13 Which Bible principle reveals why God has not yet taken action against him?
For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. Genesis 15:16
NOTE: The Canaanites of 2000 BC would not be destroyed by God until their time of probation was ended. They had opportunities to turn to God through the life and witness of Abraham but this was rejected. God would not however destroy them as a nation until their cup of wickedness was full.
Q14 What is God’s purpose in delaying action against Satan?
The God of heaven is a fair God. He has promised that sin and affliction will not rise up the second time. ‘What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.’ Nahum 1:9. And He ensures this by settling all doubts in the minds of His creatures, All the angels in heaven today, knew what happened when Satan rebelled but they may have had deep questions:
- Was God right?
- Maybe Satan could rule differently from God?
If God had wiped out Satan immediately they could have thought:
- What was God afraid of?
- Why were we not allowed to see Satan’s plans?
- God was not fair to Satan.
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