The Earth Lease

Part One - This is heavy lifting for my Christian readers and is intended to edify you and put current events in perspective.  If you are a skeptic and still hanging with me, then read on friend:

Among the perfection of Eden; enter the Deceiver; the Hater of all that is good and pure and wholesome. This envious monster loathed Adam and Eve with an unmatched fury.  He looked upon the earth and coveted it.  He could not take it by force, his war in the Heavens had taught him that, but he could steal it.

He would have to make the man rebel.  Satan knew that if the man sinned against God that the glory would depart from Adam.  Subsequently, God would not be able to be near Adam without destroying him.  God would have to leave the Earth and the Devil could take over.

His plan worked.  God is a just God and I believe that Satan knew enough about God's ways and justice to understand what was at stake and how God would HAVE to react.  Satan understood the rules; I don't pretend to but this is what I think.

I believe that by causing man to sin, Satan did not receive the Earth, but some type of lease on it.  Some say this is a 6000 year period, but it is clear Satan is allowed to rules for a time.  He is described as the prince of this world and Jesus does not refute his claim when He was being tempted in the desert.  Thus, in a manner of speaking, Satan has a lease on the Earth.

As such, he has full privileges of a tenant, but is still restrained by God.  Never doubt, the Devil is able to accomplish much evil in this world.  He has some control over the weather as described in the book of Job.  He is said to be roaming the earth like a roaring lion seeking who he can destroy.

God's Earth

Thus, in this fallen world, bad things will happen.  Is God ultimately in control, yes He is, but He does allow the Devil to operate.  So the next time something bad happens, think about who is really behind the evil in this world.

Continued tomorrow - Part III - The Covering of Sin