Sound The Trumpet : Satan's Ambition

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“Satan's Ambition”
by Art Sadlier
October 1st, 2006

Satan’s goal is stated in Isaiah 14:13,14 “I will exalt my throne above the stars (angels) of God” … “I will be like the most high.” By the permissive will of God, Satan became the ruler of the world of men 2 Cor. 4:4, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." Luke 4:6, "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." John 14:30, "Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me." But Satan’s opportunity was a limited one, he immediately set out to make his rulership permanent and to replace God altogether.

Satan’s first attempt took place on the plains of Shinar in Babylon (Genesis 11:1-4). His goal was to gather the whole world together (Satan is not omnipresent) to establish a world government to consolidate his rule over men. Along with that he sought to establish a world religion to cause men to worship him.

God confounded that attempt Genesis 11:6-8. Someday, Satan will make his final attempt to consolidate his kingdom by establishing a one world government and a one world religion. This attempt will climax and fail during the tribulation period.

Satan has a three-fold agenda for the future:

A world government and a world religion.
A temple on the temple mount in Jerusalem.
To annihilate Israel.

1. A World Government and a World Religion

The Word of God describes how that attempt will unfold. Daniel says there will be a revival of the old Roman Empire. The European Union today claims that they are the revived Roman Empire. Daniel tells us that this will consist of a federation of ten states. Today the EU, as the result of the threat of economic collapse, is actually in the process in of re-making itself into a union of federated states. Recently ten foreign ministers of ten European nations met to plan how to bring this about.

Both Daniel and John tell us about a coming Anti-christ who will rule over the Revived Roman Empire, and transform it into a world-wide kingdom.

The official seal of the EU today pictures a woman riding a beast. This very scenario is foretold Rev 17:3, "So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns." This symbol predicts the coming union of the kingdom of Anti-christ with the coming world wide church. The ecumenical movement of the last hundred years is now coming to fruition, we are obviously standing on the threshold of a world wide church.

The European Parliament building in Strasbourg is designed after an artist’s conception of the tower of Babel. The message is clear and it has been clearly stated by EU officials. They have made it known in their plans that they intend to bring the world together in world wide union.

The EU is actually not the RRE but it is the infrastructure for it. The stage is now set for this program of Satan to unfold.

2. A Rebuilt Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem

Satan’s goal has always been to be worshipped by the whole world in place of God. The centre of the worship of God has been the temple in Jerusalem. Satan desires not just to be worshipped, but to be worshipped in place of God in the very place that God has been worshipped in the past, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

Satan’s program to bring that about is a peace treaty between Israel, Islam and the Gentile nations. That treaty will give Israel possession of the temple mount and the right to rebuild the temple, which unknown to Israel, will be a temple for Anti-Christ (2 Thess 2:4). For several decades the preparations for that temple have been under way, while at the same time the world has been seeking a peace treaty in the mid-east. It appears that some cataclysmic event must take place in the Mideast to fascilate this treaty. We suspect that the war of Psalm 83 will be that event. The stage is set for Anti-Christ to come and negotiate that treaty, "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease....(Daniel 9:27a). Before that happens, the bride of Christ will be caught up to heaven.

3. The Annihilation of Israel

Satan can read the Bible, and he knows that it prophesies that someday Christ will come and rule on the throne of David, over a redeemed Israel living in the Promised Land (Luke 1:32-33). Satan’s purpose is to drive Israel off the land and annihilate her. Then Christ could not come and rule this world from the throne of David, dethroning Satan as the present god of this world.

There yet lies in the future three attempts by Satan to annihalate Israel. These coming attempts are recorded in Psalm 83, Isaiah 17 and Ezekiel 35-36.

The scenario for the first attempt is now in place in the world and it seems to be imminent. It is the war of Psalm 83.

The second attempt is the war of Ezekiel 38-39. Today Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the President of Iran, is calling for an alliance of Muslim nations to utterly destroy Israel. He uses the word annihilate.

Listen to his words, “Israel is a rotten dried tree that will be annihilated in one storm”. Compare that with the words in Ezek 38:9 “Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm”. I think the Spirit of God is trying to tell us something about Ahmadinejad. Notice in Ezekiel 38:5 Persia (Iran) is one of the leading nations in the alliance seeking to destroy Israel. More recently he said, "The existance of is an insult to humanity."

The third and final attempt to eliminate Israel will take place at the battle of Armageddon, which will takehappen at the very close of the tribulation period. Actually, the nations are now making preparations for that event.

The stage is now set for the carrying forth of Satan’s three-fold purpose in the tribulation period.

But before all of that can unfold, the trumpet must sound and we will be caught up to be with the Lord forever.

“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption (rapture) draweth nigh.” Luke 21:28

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13