@Absolutely please notice i have returned your two replies with a blank responce because thats all there worth goodbye your on my ignor.
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Has a lie crept in to our bible Does God allow demons to torment people
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Mathew 4
“If you are the Son of God,”
When a question is actually a statement it doesn’t require punctuation, as in this case, this question is not a direct question it is a rhetorical question, ergo a statement.
Satan attempts to use our own weakness to fulfill his wants, in this case it’s Pridefulness, therefor “If you are” is a actually “Prove you are” Satan did not question Jesus’ deity; he challenged Him to prove it or demonstrate it through miraculous works. Satan is tempting Jesus to use His power and authority to act independently of God the Father. If we test we fail to trust, were questioning our faith in that trust.
Have you noticed by the way, that through out this whole conflict, every attack and every defence used scripture? For Gods word is the ultimate weapon, Satan and Jesus just flung scripture at each other through the whole battle.
“If you are the Son of God,”
When a question is actually a statement it doesn’t require punctuation, as in this case, this question is not a direct question it is a rhetorical question, ergo a statement.
Satan attempts to use our own weakness to fulfill his wants, in this case it’s Pridefulness, therefor “If you are” is a actually “Prove you are” Satan did not question Jesus’ deity; he challenged Him to prove it or demonstrate it through miraculous works. Satan is tempting Jesus to use His power and authority to act independently of God the Father. If we test we fail to trust, were questioning our faith in that trust.
Have you noticed by the way, that through out this whole conflict, every attack and every defence used scripture? For Gods word is the ultimate weapon, Satan and Jesus just flung scripture at each other through the whole battle.
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You know andy i like you your honest, Satan dose not need to be tempted. he is the tempter. That is what the holy spirit called him. the tempter and the accuser of Gods children. but its obvious hes a wicked tempter and a wicked accuser, this is what people are failing to recognise. God does not lead people into temptation. God does not like murder. God will not have one rule for one person and one rule for another God detests evil. its a masive contrast to suggest anything else, any quote that suggests anything else needs to be examined. because are simple minds can not way up the logic that God allows evil to tempt people and gives evil permission too. this goes against every reasonable standard that goodness has. it just does not add up. and will only have you combining Good with evil. if you try to reason that Goodness allows evil, I fear you then start to think the way evil would want you to think. this then Gives power to satan. you need a strong a belief that Goodness will always cast away evil, to defeat evil,not start thinking goodness will alow evil. God knows when one of his children are in danger and a better way to see Job 1 is this is when God will put a hedge around you to protect you. Only satan hates that.
Satan wants to make us believe if we fail his tests God will dissown us, and satan also wants us to believe its his Job to prove we can go bad. Nope this is wrong,,, satan is absolute raving lunatic, that falsley miss repersents God at every oppertunity and wants people to Go bad. Satan also blames God for his actions, by saying God tells me to tempt people. nope he is the wicked tempter and accuser.
We have the power to stamp on his scorpions
Satan wants to make us believe if we fail his tests God will dissown us, and satan also wants us to believe its his Job to prove we can go bad. Nope this is wrong,,, satan is absolute raving lunatic, that falsley miss repersents God at every oppertunity and wants people to Go bad. Satan also blames God for his actions, by saying God tells me to tempt people. nope he is the wicked tempter and accuser.
We have the power to stamp on his scorpions
You are taking what I am saying and making them more than what they're suppose to mean.
I know who and what Satan is.
I know Who or What God is.
None of that matters towards the purpose for the Book of Job.
You learn from Chapter 1 until Chapter 42 that this Book is about God, His Power over all things, nothing can happen to us as Believers because God is in control even if you're currently sinking or swimming.
God shows His Control in Verse 7 and 8 when the LORD SAID to Satan....
You have an interesting view of the Bible, it interests me. But, some things our views are quite different in terms of what the Book of Job was designed to be for, Believers in Yahweh who read it and glean from it.
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I can't imagine the mental state of a person who wants to get on a christian forum and teach that God causes the born again to be demon oppressed.
Did you ever read of Jesus casting a Demon into a Person?
A.) NO !!
How crazy is this idea?
Listen......
Imagine if you have Children, and some of you dont have to imagine it.
You are the parent.
Do you love them?
Yes??
So..... Would you send a demon to them?
Would you cause them to become sick, if possible?
How about some brain cancer for your 9 yr old?
How about some blindness for your 6 yr old.?
Isn't GOD THE FATHER of the Born again? "Abba' ????
So, is God going to offer His Son on the Cross, to then later try to harm those whom Jesus died to heal, save, and redeem with His Blood?
Sometimes you just have to wonder about what shows up on a Christian forum, and is allowed to stay.
Not all of it is good and some of it is right out of the Devil's handbook.
I can't imagine the mental state of a person who wants to get on a christian forum and teach that God causes the born again to be demon oppressed.
Did you ever read of Jesus casting a Demon into a Person?
A.) NO !!
How crazy is this idea?
Listen......
Imagine if you have Children, and some of you dont have to imagine it.
You are the parent.
Do you love them?
Yes??
So..... Would you send a demon to them?
Would you cause them to become sick, if possible?
How about some brain cancer for your 9 yr old?
How about some blindness for your 6 yr old.?
Isn't GOD THE FATHER of the Born again? "Abba' ????
So, is God going to offer His Son on the Cross, to then later try to harm those whom Jesus died to heal, save, and redeem with His Blood?
Sometimes you just have to wonder about what shows up on a Christian forum, and is allowed to stay.
Not all of it is good and some of it is right out of the Devil's handbook.
Andy im saying to tempt somebody is bad, You know like an aldult giving a child drugs. The aldult says hey kid would like to try some of this, the kid falls the temptation and gets addicted to drugs. What im saying is God does not give anyone permission to tempt somebody.
Satans temptataion is to pull you away from Gods only he wants us to believe he has good reason for using temptation. Temptation is something God knows can make one of us stumble and does not want to risk that happening. Temptation on its own merits used to tempt somebody in to wrong action is a sin.. however andy if i tempt you in nice way for a piece of cake thats a good temptation. the reason why so many people have this idea its ok to tempt people is because they have the wrong idea of exactly what temptation means.
Andy temptation can be used in another way to catch sombody out etc i realise that. but satan doesnt use temptation for that reason. he uses temptation to kill you or to endanger you or to get you addicted to drugs, or to seperate you from God. or to cause trouble. Satan uses the good the way temptation can be used to hide what hes actually doing with temptation. God would rather say dont do that again, rather than to tempt you into testing you if you will do that wrong again. where as satan will keep on tempting you in the hope youll do that wrong again.
Jesus says please go and sin no more and wants you to forgive you, where as satan wants to re shame you, and hope that you will. satan is the exact oppersite, and tempts you over and over untill you do sohe can shame Gods children. then claims he has a good use for temptation.
Theres no measures satan will not go to, to shame one of Gods children.
Satans temptataion is to pull you away from Gods only he wants us to believe he has good reason for using temptation. Temptation is something God knows can make one of us stumble and does not want to risk that happening. Temptation on its own merits used to tempt somebody in to wrong action is a sin.. however andy if i tempt you in nice way for a piece of cake thats a good temptation. the reason why so many people have this idea its ok to tempt people is because they have the wrong idea of exactly what temptation means.
Andy temptation can be used in another way to catch sombody out etc i realise that. but satan doesnt use temptation for that reason. he uses temptation to kill you or to endanger you or to get you addicted to drugs, or to seperate you from God. or to cause trouble. Satan uses the good the way temptation can be used to hide what hes actually doing with temptation. God would rather say dont do that again, rather than to tempt you into testing you if you will do that wrong again. where as satan will keep on tempting you in the hope youll do that wrong again.
Jesus says please go and sin no more and wants you to forgive you, where as satan wants to re shame you, and hope that you will. satan is the exact oppersite, and tempts you over and over untill you do sohe can shame Gods children. then claims he has a good use for temptation.
Theres no measures satan will not go to, to shame one of Gods children.
@Pilgrimshope @JaumeJ @1ofthem @Absolutely @AandW @Mem @Dino246 @Magenta @Lucy-Pevensie @glen55 @Gideon300 @Runningman @Ahwatukee @tourist. @Blade @Rolly @Nehemiah6
Ok so heres a good summary of temptation what do you all think of this.
im saying when satan tempts somebody it is a bad temptation, You know like an aldult giving a child drugs. The aldult says hey kid would you like to try some of this, the kid falls for the temptation and gets addicted to drugs (and satan does this). What im saying is God does not give satan permission to tempt somebody into drugs because this temptation is to corrupt a person with addiction
Satans temptataion is to pull you away from Gods only he wants us to believe he has good reason for using temptation. Temptation is something God knows can make one of his children stumble and does not want to risk that happening. Temptation on its own merits used to tempt somebody into wrong action to steal them from God is a sin.. however if i tempt you in nice way for a piece of cake thats a good temptation. The reason why so many people have this idea its ok to tempt people is because they have the wrong idea of exactly what temptation means when used in a way that says God allows it.
temptation can be used in another way to catch sombody out etc i realise that. but satan doesnt use temptation for that reason. he uses temptation to kill you or to endanger you or to get you addicted to drugs, or to seperate you from God. or to cause trouble. Satan uses the good way temptation can be used to hide what hes actually doing with temptation. God would rather say dont do that again, rather than to tempt you into testing you if you will do that wrong again, God doesnt want to re shame you. where as satan will keep on tempting you in the hope youll do that wrong again. he loeves to shame Gods children. satan loves to make you think God will dissown you and then Satan will say im allowed to test you ( this is a lie from satan). satan loves to make you think that he has the authority to prove a person can go bad, only this is a cover up for his real intension.
Jesus says please go and sin no more and wants to forgive you, where as satan wants to re shame you, and hope that you will sin again. satan is the exact oppersite, and tempts you over and over untill you do sin so he can shame Gods children. then claims he has a good use for temptation.
Theres no measures satan will not go to, to shame one of Gods children.
Ok so heres a good summary of temptation what do you all think of this.
im saying when satan tempts somebody it is a bad temptation, You know like an aldult giving a child drugs. The aldult says hey kid would you like to try some of this, the kid falls for the temptation and gets addicted to drugs (and satan does this). What im saying is God does not give satan permission to tempt somebody into drugs because this temptation is to corrupt a person with addiction
Satans temptataion is to pull you away from Gods only he wants us to believe he has good reason for using temptation. Temptation is something God knows can make one of his children stumble and does not want to risk that happening. Temptation on its own merits used to tempt somebody into wrong action to steal them from God is a sin.. however if i tempt you in nice way for a piece of cake thats a good temptation. The reason why so many people have this idea its ok to tempt people is because they have the wrong idea of exactly what temptation means when used in a way that says God allows it.
temptation can be used in another way to catch sombody out etc i realise that. but satan doesnt use temptation for that reason. he uses temptation to kill you or to endanger you or to get you addicted to drugs, or to seperate you from God. or to cause trouble. Satan uses the good way temptation can be used to hide what hes actually doing with temptation. God would rather say dont do that again, rather than to tempt you into testing you if you will do that wrong again, God doesnt want to re shame you. where as satan will keep on tempting you in the hope youll do that wrong again. he loeves to shame Gods children. satan loves to make you think God will dissown you and then Satan will say im allowed to test you ( this is a lie from satan). satan loves to make you think that he has the authority to prove a person can go bad, only this is a cover up for his real intension.
Jesus says please go and sin no more and wants to forgive you, where as satan wants to re shame you, and hope that you will sin again. satan is the exact oppersite, and tempts you over and over untill you do sin so he can shame Gods children. then claims he has a good use for temptation.
Theres no measures satan will not go to, to shame one of Gods children.
@Pilgrimshope @JaumeJ @1ofthem @Absolutely @AandW @Mem @Dino246 @Magenta @Lucy-Pevensie @glen55 @Gideon300 @Runningman @Ahwatukee @tourist. @Blade @Rolly @Nehemiah6
Heres a better account for you from a biblical scholar please tell me what you think, i think its 100 percent accurate
Many people heard the wonderful story of Christ’s incarnation, and some understood it for the very first time. But the version of the Christmas story that most haven’t heard, the one that even many Christians don’t seem to understand is the one found in Revelation 12.
It is this account that guards Matthew’s and Luke’s from the dangers of sentimentality. It keeps our vision of the incarnation from getting dislodged from the broader drama of redemption. And it reminds us that Christ’s Advent to earth was nothing less than a strategic, decisive military move in the raging cosmic battle between darkness and light. This is the full-orbed Christmas story that we need reminding of all year round.
Let’s look at this passage, think about the cast of characters, and then ponder three important lessons for today.
And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. 5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.
7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”
13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. 15 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. 16 But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. 17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea. (Revelation 12:1)
There are three main characters in this passage: the woman, the dragon, and the child.
The woman (described in vv. 1-2) is clothed with the sun, with the moon is beneath her feet, and seven stars crowning her head. Who is she? Probably not Mary, but Israel. Verse 2 has clear echoes of Genesis 37, the passage about Joseph’s dream where the twelve stars represented the twelve sons of Jacob. John seems to be identifying this woman with Israel, God’s covenant people. The woman’s pregnancy and agonizing birth pangs point to the sufferings of God’s people as they awaited the Messiah, but also deeply resonated with the suffering saints who originally read Revelation.
Verse 3 introduces another character, a “great red dragon” possessed of both worldly power (all those heads and crowns!) and deep, unrelenting hatred and hostility towards the woman and her child. If it wasn’t already clear, verse 9 removes all doubt: the dragon is “the ancient serpent” the devil himself, “Satan, the deceiver of the whole world.” This not only identifies him with the serpent in Genesis 3, but also shows his antagonism towards God’s people, and especially towards the child of the woman, whom he seeks to devour.
And who might this child be? Read verse 5 again:“She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne.” This, of course, is Jesus the Messiah.
So what’s going on here? This passage uses heavily symbolic language to describe Satan’s attempts to destroy the Christ. Remember the massacre in Bethlehem? Remember the forty days in the wilderness? Remember the crucifixion?
But John is sounding another note as well. He says that this child rules the nations with a rod of iron (quoting Psalm 2) and is snatched up to God and his throne. Far from being destroyed by the dragon, this child shares the throne of God! This child is none other than Jesus the Christ (v. 10), the crucified Lamb (v. 11), the resurrected, exalted, and enthroned King.
But what does it all mean? Revelation is notoriously difficult to understand – so weird, in fact, that most of us just avoid it altogether. And yet, it is still God’s word for the church. And though interpreters may disagree on some of the details, the main point is clear and contains three very important lessons for us. continued
Heres a better account for you from a biblical scholar please tell me what you think, i think its 100 percent accurate
Many people heard the wonderful story of Christ’s incarnation, and some understood it for the very first time. But the version of the Christmas story that most haven’t heard, the one that even many Christians don’t seem to understand is the one found in Revelation 12.
It is this account that guards Matthew’s and Luke’s from the dangers of sentimentality. It keeps our vision of the incarnation from getting dislodged from the broader drama of redemption. And it reminds us that Christ’s Advent to earth was nothing less than a strategic, decisive military move in the raging cosmic battle between darkness and light. This is the full-orbed Christmas story that we need reminding of all year round.
Let’s look at this passage, think about the cast of characters, and then ponder three important lessons for today.
And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. 5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.
7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”
13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. 15 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. 16 But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. 17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea. (Revelation 12:1)
There are three main characters in this passage: the woman, the dragon, and the child.
The woman (described in vv. 1-2) is clothed with the sun, with the moon is beneath her feet, and seven stars crowning her head. Who is she? Probably not Mary, but Israel. Verse 2 has clear echoes of Genesis 37, the passage about Joseph’s dream where the twelve stars represented the twelve sons of Jacob. John seems to be identifying this woman with Israel, God’s covenant people. The woman’s pregnancy and agonizing birth pangs point to the sufferings of God’s people as they awaited the Messiah, but also deeply resonated with the suffering saints who originally read Revelation.
Verse 3 introduces another character, a “great red dragon” possessed of both worldly power (all those heads and crowns!) and deep, unrelenting hatred and hostility towards the woman and her child. If it wasn’t already clear, verse 9 removes all doubt: the dragon is “the ancient serpent” the devil himself, “Satan, the deceiver of the whole world.” This not only identifies him with the serpent in Genesis 3, but also shows his antagonism towards God’s people, and especially towards the child of the woman, whom he seeks to devour.
And who might this child be? Read verse 5 again:“She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne.” This, of course, is Jesus the Messiah.
So what’s going on here? This passage uses heavily symbolic language to describe Satan’s attempts to destroy the Christ. Remember the massacre in Bethlehem? Remember the forty days in the wilderness? Remember the crucifixion?
But John is sounding another note as well. He says that this child rules the nations with a rod of iron (quoting Psalm 2) and is snatched up to God and his throne. Far from being destroyed by the dragon, this child shares the throne of God! This child is none other than Jesus the Christ (v. 10), the crucified Lamb (v. 11), the resurrected, exalted, and enthroned King.
But what does it all mean? Revelation is notoriously difficult to understand – so weird, in fact, that most of us just avoid it altogether. And yet, it is still God’s word for the church. And though interpreters may disagree on some of the details, the main point is clear and contains three very important lessons for us. continued
1. First, this passage points us to the defeat of evil in the incarnation, suffering, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Though the passage begins with a war in heaven (v. 4a, expanded in vv. 7-9), the dragon is defeated and thrown down! The details of the passage hint first at the primordial defeat of Satan, when he was first thrown out of heaven (vv. 7-9). Then verses 10-11 proclaim his decisive defeat, as a loud voice proclaims:
Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
Satan is conquered, vanquished, defeated! How? By the blood of the Lamb! This points us to the cross. That’s where the decisive victory was won, and because Christ conquered Satan there, the “devil knows his time is short” (v. 12). He’s like a feisty snake pinned to the ground by a huge boulder, waiting for the sharp blade of a hoe to finally take his head off once and for all. Yes, his bite is still poisonous – but his power is limited and will soon come to an end.
And that means that evil can be defeated right here and right now, in your heart and mine, today. Wesley understood this well, writing,
Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
2. This passage also shows us how God preserves the church through suffering. This story, written to the suffering church (remember, Christians were still being fed to the lions in those days), is all about the suffering church at the hands of Satan. In keeping with his war against heaven, and his hostility towards Jesus at his birth, Satan is depicted as the serpentine dragon who continues to pursue and persecute the people of God. You can see this as he chases her into the wilderness in verse 14, tries to carry her away with a flood in verse 15, and unleashes his fury against the woman and her offspring in verse 17.
But through it all, God preserves his people! Though the woman is chased into the wilderness, God has prepared a place for her and she is actually “nourished.” He gives her “eagle’s wings,” almost definitely a reference to the original exodus, when God rescued his suffering people from Egypt (see Ex. 19:4; Deut. 32:11).
But God not only rescues and nourishes his people; he also puts a limit on their suffering, which is probably the point of the 1,260 days. I know some think this is a literal 3 ½ years of tribulation. Maybe, maybe not. But either way, don’t let that distract you from the main point. This number, whatever else it may mean, shows us that the suffering of the church is temporary, short, and limited.
3. Finally, this passage shows us how to communicate the gospel to our world. I don’t mean that we need to speak about a red dragon and a conquering child (though, that’s not a bad idea!). So, what do I mean?
Well, biblical scholars point out that John was using symbolism and imagery that was very well known in the ancient world. People were very familiar with pagan stories about the conflict between a dragon and a child. What seems strange to us was as embedded in their cultural folklore as the stories of Jack and the Beanstalk or Tolkien’s Hobbit and Lord of the Rings are in ours. But John was investing this mythology with new meaning and significance.
This is what C. S. Lewis meant when he talked about myth becoming fact. This is part of our job. We’ve got to learn how to take the mythologies and stories of our culture and show people that it is only in Jesus that we see the ultimate fulfillment of the deep hopes and yearnings that lurk beneath our greatest myths and stories. Wesley, once again, got it right in one of his Advent hymns:
Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
Satan is conquered, vanquished, defeated! How? By the blood of the Lamb! This points us to the cross. That’s where the decisive victory was won, and because Christ conquered Satan there, the “devil knows his time is short” (v. 12). He’s like a feisty snake pinned to the ground by a huge boulder, waiting for the sharp blade of a hoe to finally take his head off once and for all. Yes, his bite is still poisonous – but his power is limited and will soon come to an end.
And that means that evil can be defeated right here and right now, in your heart and mine, today. Wesley understood this well, writing,
Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
2. This passage also shows us how God preserves the church through suffering. This story, written to the suffering church (remember, Christians were still being fed to the lions in those days), is all about the suffering church at the hands of Satan. In keeping with his war against heaven, and his hostility towards Jesus at his birth, Satan is depicted as the serpentine dragon who continues to pursue and persecute the people of God. You can see this as he chases her into the wilderness in verse 14, tries to carry her away with a flood in verse 15, and unleashes his fury against the woman and her offspring in verse 17.
But through it all, God preserves his people! Though the woman is chased into the wilderness, God has prepared a place for her and she is actually “nourished.” He gives her “eagle’s wings,” almost definitely a reference to the original exodus, when God rescued his suffering people from Egypt (see Ex. 19:4; Deut. 32:11).
But God not only rescues and nourishes his people; he also puts a limit on their suffering, which is probably the point of the 1,260 days. I know some think this is a literal 3 ½ years of tribulation. Maybe, maybe not. But either way, don’t let that distract you from the main point. This number, whatever else it may mean, shows us that the suffering of the church is temporary, short, and limited.
3. Finally, this passage shows us how to communicate the gospel to our world. I don’t mean that we need to speak about a red dragon and a conquering child (though, that’s not a bad idea!). So, what do I mean?
Well, biblical scholars point out that John was using symbolism and imagery that was very well known in the ancient world. People were very familiar with pagan stories about the conflict between a dragon and a child. What seems strange to us was as embedded in their cultural folklore as the stories of Jack and the Beanstalk or Tolkien’s Hobbit and Lord of the Rings are in ours. But John was investing this mythology with new meaning and significance.
This is what C. S. Lewis meant when he talked about myth becoming fact. This is part of our job. We’ve got to learn how to take the mythologies and stories of our culture and show people that it is only in Jesus that we see the ultimate fulfillment of the deep hopes and yearnings that lurk beneath our greatest myths and stories. Wesley, once again, got it right in one of his Advent hymns:
I agree to tempt someone is bad. But God was not actually tempting Satan, because Satan knows what temptation is about, he uses it for his advantage all of the time. But God did dangle Job on a fish line like a nice piece of bait for a fish to bite without thinking. God showed to us Believers, He is better at whatever Satan thinks he can do to us, because He is in Control.
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So heres another good summary on temptation from satan.
Satan became proud and felt shamed when God opposed him in heaven for his proudness.
he was then cast him to earth. Satan has never been able to get over his shame. and out of revenge he is tempting people into sin, to then he can shame them.
Satan wants to Just keep on looking for fault in people to shame them. especially Gods children.
revalation tells us satan has come to accuse Gods children day and night. Satan became exceptionaly Jeslouse when Jesus was born. this is why he atatcks people of christ. satan does not obey God
Gods children accept rebuke and are forgiven for there sins. this is a given to Gods children.
Satan want to accuse Gods children day and night, its written in our bible in revalation that he came to earth to do this after Jessu was born.
Why? because he wants us to feal his shame. when we are shamed we get embarressed, when satan was shamed he became evil. this is the issue around the missing link of understand the reason for the war proudness can lead to not handling shame. satan hopes that he can prove anyone can become proud and not accept shame,and then claims God approves him to test people this way. Satan knows a person may fall from Grace after being shamed, especially the unexperienced who have never felt shame befor.
Shame can make a person act in a revengfull way and really upset a person, after they dont take rebuke. sometimes tho the shame was not warrented. this is the case from satan his attempt to keep shaming people is not warrented he hasnt accepted his own shame, and will just keep attacking people. He wants to keep shaming people knowing it can do them harm, all forgivness has left him.
So heres another good summary on temptation from satan.
Satan became proud and felt shamed when God opposed him in heaven for his proudness.
he was then cast him to earth. Satan has never been able to get over his shame. and out of revenge he is tempting people into sin, to then he can shame them.
Satan wants to Just keep on looking for fault in people to shame them. especially Gods children.
revalation tells us satan has come to accuse Gods children day and night. Satan became exceptionaly Jeslouse when Jesus was born. this is why he atatcks people of christ. satan does not obey God
Gods children accept rebuke and are forgiven for there sins. this is a given to Gods children.
Satan want to accuse Gods children day and night, its written in our bible in revalation that he came to earth to do this after Jessu was born.
Why? because he wants us to feal his shame. when we are shamed we get embarressed, when satan was shamed he became evil. this is the issue around the missing link of understand the reason for the war proudness can lead to not handling shame. satan hopes that he can prove anyone can become proud and not accept shame,and then claims God approves him to test people this way. Satan knows a person may fall from Grace after being shamed, especially the unexperienced who have never felt shame befor.
Shame can make a person act in a revengfull way and really upset a person, after they dont take rebuke. sometimes tho the shame was not warrented. this is the case from satan his attempt to keep shaming people is not warrented he hasnt accepted his own shame, and will just keep attacking people. He wants to keep shaming people knowing it can do them harm, all forgivness has left him.
Thank You!
I believe if we're reading Job how we should read it, it will be extremely powerful and revealing to the Believer in God. From chapter One to Chapter Forty Two, God discusses many things. It's like being in a School Classroom and God is the Teacher when we read the Book of Job. It has information from Creation, to sons of God meet every morning before the Lord, to watching Job go from tragedy to rewarded more than ever before, we see Satan can only do what God allows to be done, we see GOD speaking to 4 human beings and you can see the fear in these men when answering God. Job is a setting long long ago, but it tells us about having the HEDGE of God over our lives and that God is in Control over everything.
I believe if we're reading Job how we should read it, it will be extremely powerful and revealing to the Believer in God. From chapter One to Chapter Forty Two, God discusses many things. It's like being in a School Classroom and God is the Teacher when we read the Book of Job. It has information from Creation, to sons of God meet every morning before the Lord, to watching Job go from tragedy to rewarded more than ever before, we see Satan can only do what God allows to be done, we see GOD speaking to 4 human beings and you can see the fear in these men when answering God. Job is a setting long long ago, but it tells us about having the HEDGE of God over our lives and that God is in Control over everything.