Who is it that is against God? Well, through God’s rival there is an ongoing war to overthrow God which has been taking place both in heaven and on earth. In this post, we will consider God and his rival, the issues at the heart of the conflict, how it affects every human being, and how it will end.

Who is God?

Before we begin our discussion, let us be clear who God is.  When we speak of God, are we referring to a divine Family known as “the Godhead” (Acts 17:29) in the Bible. The Godhead consists of three self-existent Persons, in that, they each have life originating with themselves—life that is unborrowed and underived. The three Persons are known as the Father, the Son called Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

For those who are new to Bible notation, “Acts 17:29,” for example, is a reference to the Bible, which is a collection of books. Each book in the Bible consists of one or more chapters, and each chapter has numbered sections called verses. The quotation referred to as “Acts 17:29” is taken from the book titled Acts in the Bible, the 17^th chapter, and the 29^th verse.

These members of the Godhead never contradict each other at any time; they speak with one voice, and so we can say, “there is one God.” Mark 12:32.

Is God evil? Absolutely not! “God, that cannot lie” (Titus 1:2) declares of Himself that “God is love.” 1 John 4:8.

Our Bible Verse of Focus

I have selected the following Bible verse to set the scope and approach of this post to our topic, the ongoing war to overthrow God, which has many, many aspects. In fact, one of the main themes of the Bible is this war between God and His rival.

Here is our Bible verse of focus: “The eyes of the LORD [God] preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor [the evildoer].” Proverbs 22:12.

God, the Creator

God says, “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 40:28), “he made the stars” (Genesis 1:16), that is, “he made the worlds?” Hebrews 1:2. “Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD [God] hath wrought [done] this?” Job 12:9.

“Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth [is lacking].” Isaiah 40:26.

It is God “in whose hand is the soul [life] of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” Job 12:10.

“God the LORD, [it is] he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit [mind] to them that walk therein.” Isaiah 42:5.

Thus, we see that God is the Creator of everything in the universe that exists outside of Himself.

What is Heaven?

You may be asking, What is heaven? The Bible reveals that “heaven [is] thy [God’s] dwelling place.” 1 Kings 8:30.

Where is heaven? That is something “of which we cannot now speak particularly” (Hebrews 9:5) because God has not revealed it to humanity.

We do know though that in heaven there is “mount Sion [Mount Zion]…the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.” Hebrews 12:22. It is the dwelling place of “thousand thousands…and ten thousand times ten thousand [of angels]” (Daniel 7:10), in other words, “an innumerable company of angels.” Hebrews 12:22.

Who are the angels? They are intelligent beings who were created by God.

“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD [God].” Job 1:6. Who are these sons of God? They are the representatives of the worlds throughout the universe which are inhabited by intelligent beings created by God.

So, just as heaven itself is inhabited by God and the angels, so are other worlds in the universe inhabited by intelligent beings.

The State of the Universe Before the War

As was said before, God’s character is a character of love. “Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity [evil].” Job 34:10.

Now “the LORD [God] hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.” Psalm 103:19.

Every kingdom has a law governing its citizens and God’s kingdom is no exception.

“God’s law” (Nehemiah 10:29) is a law of love in that God requires only that each citizen “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength…[and] love thy neighbour [fellow being] as thyself.” Mark 12:30, 31.

Thus, all of God’s citizens in the universe said among that themselves, “Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto [obeying] the voice of his word. Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye…that do his pleasure. Bless the LORD, all his works [all God’s created, intelligent beings] in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.” Psalm 103:20-22.

So, there was love, joy, peace, and harmony in the universe. God delighted in His created beings and they, in turn, delighted in God. This then was the state of the universe before war broke out.

How the War in Heaven Started

You may ask, How then in this perfect universe with love reigning in every heart could there be a war?

God answers this question when He says, “O Lucifer…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 [God].” Isaiah 14:12-14.

What does this mean? In essence, Lucifer, the angel of highest rank in heaven, fell in love with himself and desired to rule the universe in the place of God.

Lucifer’s desire for supremacy was evil because he himself was a created being who ought to give his love, obedience, and worship to God, his Creator, who was his Life Giver. In other words, there was no good reason for the created to rule over the Creator who sustains all life.

So, God says, “whosoever committeth sin [which is evil and wrongdoing] transgresseth [breaks] also the law [of God]: for sin is the transgression [breaking] of the law [of God].” 1 John 3:4.

This then is what led to war in heaven. It all started with an evil desire and wicked intent in the angel, Lucifer.

How the War in Heaven Unfolded in the Past

We will now consider how there came to be a war in heaven and how it unfolded in the past.

As a result of his evil desire, Lucifer rebelled against God and so God changed his name to “Satan,” the opponent and adversary, essentially, he who is God’s rival.

God says, “The devil [Satan]…was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” John 8:44.

What were the lies that Satan told? God says of Satan, “A froward [perverse] man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief [the best of] friends.” Proverbs 16:28. Thus, Satan began to spread lies about God among the angels in heaven and, thereby, created strife in heaven and alienated some of the angels from God.

Therefore, God said to Satan and Satan’s followers, “The wages of sin is [eternal] death [which is annihilation]” (Romans 6:23) and it is in this sense that Satan was a murderer. For Satan’s lies would lead to the annihilation of himself and all the angels whom he led to rebel against God.

Moreover, God said, “Whoso [whosoever] privily [secretly] slandereth his neighbour [God and his fellow angels], him will I cut off [annihilate]: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer [endure].” Psalm 101:5.

The angels loyal to God pleaded with Satan and Satan’s followers, saying, “He [God] is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who…[shall have] hardened himself against him [God], and…[shall have] prospered?” Job 9:4. Nevertheless, the angels who followed Satan would not cease their rebellion against God.

Therefore, “there was war in heaven: Michael [Christ] and his angels fought against the dragon [Satan]; and the dragon [Satan] 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…he was cast out…and his angels were cast out with him.” Revelation 12:7-9.

He “that teacheth lies, he is the tail” (Isaiah 9:15) “and his [Satan’s] tail [lies] drew the third part [one third] of the stars [angels] of heaven, and did cast them…[out of heaven].” Revelation 12:4.

So, the war in heaven was not a war with physical weapons. Instead, it was a war of words where Satan sought to overthrow God’s throne by overthrowing God’s law of love to establish his, Satan’s, own throne to rule over the universe and to govern the universe by his law of wickedness.

But what does God say in the face of this evil? God says, “The eyes of the LORD [God] preserve [the] knowledge [of God], and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor [the evildoer].” Proverbs 22:12. How? Continue reading and I will explain.

This then is how the war unfolded in heaven in the past where some of the angels in heaven rejected God’s law of love and instead accepted Satan’s words, Satan’s law of wickedness. Note that Satan and his evil angels are destined by God to be annihilated in due time.

A Brief Word About Chronology

As was said above, the year 2020 is also known as the year 2020 A.D. Why? The reason is that when Christ was born in human flesh as a baby boy named “Jesus” (Matthew 1:21) over 2,000 years ago, the year of His birth was called 1 A.D.

What is the meaning of A.D.? It is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase Anno Domini meaning “in the year of our Lord.”

So then, the years after Jesus Christ’s birth were numbered 2 A.D., 3 A.D., 4 A.D., and so on until today we are in the year 2021 A.D., normally just referred to as the year 2021.

But what about the years before the birth of Jesus? What are they called? The year before Christ’s birth is known as 1 B.C., where the abbreviation B.C. means “before Christ.”

Therefore, 10 years before Christ’s birth is the year 10 B.C. Likewise, 127 years before Christ’s birth is the year 127 B.C. and so on.

Now after the year 1 A.D. was established, it was discovered that Christ was actually born in about 5 B.C.

Now according to the Bible’s chronological data, we can determine that the earth and the human race were both created in approximately 3958 B.C.

How the War Came to the Earth: Approximately 3958 B.C.

Let us now consider how the war between God and Satan came to the earth.

When God created the earth and the first human pair, a man named Adam and a woman named Eve, “the morning stars [the holy angels] sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.” Job 38:7.

Adam and Eve were created holy and perfect in love for God and for each other by God, for God had written His law of love in their hearts and minds.

Satan and his evil angels, having been cast out of heaven, roamed the universe seeking to get other intelligent beings to join them in their rebellion against God.

Thus, Satan came to the earth to the garden of Eden which God had prepared as Adam and Eve’s home. Using his usual cunning and deception, Satan approached Eve hiding himself from sight and he spoke to Eve making it appear as if a serpent could speak.

“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman [Eve], Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Genesis 3:1.

“And the woman [Eve] said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.” Genesis 3:2, 3.

“And the serpent said unto the woman [Eve], Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4, 5.

“And when the woman [Eve] saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband [Adam] with her; and he did eat.” Genesis 3:6.

This then is the account of Satan’s temptation of both Adam and Eve to cause them to commit sin which is to join Satan in his war against God.

The War and Adam and Eve: Approximately 3958 B.C.

There is much to understand about Satan’s temptation of Adam and Eve, and how Satan brought the war from heaven to the earth. So, I will now give a brief analysis of this.

Adam and Eve would have known what God meant when He said that if they eat from the forbidden tree they would die. In other words, they would have understood that “the soul [person] that sinneth, it [they] shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4), “they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.” Jeremiah 51:57.

Here in the garden of Eden, Satan preached the first sermon on earth on the immortality of the soul, that is, that no one ever dies. Thus, it is Satan’s strategy to “make him [God] a liar” (1 John 1:10) and Adam and Eve both put their trust in Satan’s words.

Satan also preached to them the error that humanity can become equal to God. But Adam and Eve would have been warned by God, Let not “the throne of iniquity [wickedness] have fellowship [friendship] with thee, which frameth mischief [evil] by a law [of wickednesss]” (Psalm 94:20) so that “being lifted up with pride…[you] fall into the condemnation of the devil [Satan].” 1 Timothy 3:6. “If sinners entice thee [to sin], consent thou not.” Proverbs 1:10.

Yet Adam and Eve became lifted in pride just like Satan and believed that they could become equal with God.

Furthermore, Satan preached to Adam and Eve that the end justifies the means, in that, disobeying God would result in great good for themselves. And so, Adam and Eve disobeyed God and stole from God when they ate from the forbidden tree. For God had not given to either of them any permission to eat from this tree.

In effect, Adam and Eve accepted Satan’s words of false accusations against God and turning from God’s law of love accepted Satan’s law of wickedness.

Well, what would God do in the face of these circumstances? Would Adam and Eve be annihilated and the human race become extinct? Absolutely, No!

God said to Satan in the presence of Adam and Eve, “And I [God] will put enmity between thee [Satan] and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15.

What does this mean? The essence of this is that God would put a hatred, (enmity) for sin and Satan in human hearts and that He would do this through Christ, the Deliverer from sin, who would die in the process. Christ’s death would make secure God’s plan to save humanity from eternal death (annihilation) and instead give humanity eternal life.

So, as a foreshadowing of the death of Christ, “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of [animal] skins, and clothed them.” Genesis 3:21.

Thus, God’s response to Satan’s war against Him on earth was to seek to preserve a knowledge of His law of love on earth by overthrowing the words of Satan in the hearts and minds of Adam and Eve. For Satan’s plan was that his “throne of iniquity [wickedness]” (Psalm 94:20) would rule over the whole universe as his kingdom according to his, Satan’s, own law of wickedness.

So, God has declared that Satan and his evil angels and the whole human race “all…shall know whose words shall stand, mine [God’s], or theirs.” Jeremiah 44:28. This is the central issue in the war between God and Satan.

The War and the Ten Commandments: Approximately 3958 B.C.

Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, God restated His law of love to Adam and Eve as “ten commandments” (Exodus 3:28) to meet them in their sinful condition:

“And God spake [spoke] all these words, saying” (Exodus 20:1),

1. “I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:2, 3.
2. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.” Exodus 20:4-6.
3. “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Exodus 20:7. 
4. “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:8-11.
5. “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” Exodus 20:12.
6. “Thou shalt not kill.” Exodus 20:13.
7. “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Exodus 20:14.
8. “Thou shalt not steal.” Exodus 20:15.
9. “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” Exodus 20:16.
10. “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.” Exodus 20:17.

The first four commandments of God’s restated law of love taught humanity their duty towards God and the last six commandments taught an individual’s duty to their fellow human being.

As was said before, God says, “whosoever committeth sin [which is evil and wrongdoing] transgresseth [breaks] also the law [of God]: for sin is the transgression [breaking] of the law [of God].” 1 John 3:4.

So, whosoever breaks any of God’s ten commandments commits sin. That is, they accept Satan’s law of wickedness instead of God’s law of love and, hence, have taken Satan’s side in his war against God.

The War and Cain and Abel: Approximately 3940 B.C.

It is important to understand that all of Adam and Eve’s descendants have inherited their disposition to sin and are, therefore, destined for eternal death (annihilation). So, the entire human race, without exception, have taken Satan’s side in his war against God. Thus, every human being is in need of Christ, the Deliverer from sin, through whom they can turn away from Satan to God and so receive eternal life from God.

Now God says, “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare [gave birth to] Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. And she again bare [gave birth to] his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of [one who cultivated] the ground.” Genesis 4:1, 2.

“And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD [God]. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD [God] had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth [angry], and his countenance [facial expression] fell.” Genesis 4:3-5.

“And the LORD [God] said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth [angry]? and why is thy countenance [facial expression] fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin [Satan] lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his [Satan’s] desire, and thou shalt [ought to] rule over him [Satan].” Genesis 4:6, 7.

“And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew [killed] him.” Genesis 4:8.

This was the first murder to occur on earth and God gives us an insight into the incident.

God says, “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one [Satan], and slew [killed] his brother. And wherefore slew [killed] he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.” 1 John 3:11, 12.

That is, Abel accepted God’s promise of a coming Deliverer from sin and brought an animal sacrifice to God which symbolised the future death of Christ for the sins of humanity. Therefore, Abel was a preserver of God’s words, God’s law of love on earth, thereby, being on God’s side in His war against Satan.

But Cain refused to follow God’s plan of salvation (the saving from eternal death which is annihilation) and he sought to be saved by God to receive eternal life in the way he, Cain, himself pleased. Hence, Cain was one who rejected God’s words, God’s law of love, and so took Satan’s side in the war between God and Satan.

This then is the progress of the war between God and Satan up to the time of Cain and Abel.

Analysis of the War and Cain and Abel: Approximately 3940 B.C.

Happily, as sad, depressing, and tragic, the story of Cain and Abel is, there is a glimmer of hope regarding Adam and Eve’s eternal destiny. Adam and Eve must themselves have repented, that is, had deep sorrow and remorse for their sins, for they had faithfully taught their children, Cain and Abel, of the promise of Christ, the Deliverer from sin.

Thus, Adam and Eve had passed on to their children a knowledge of God’s law of love, thereby seeking to cause them to take God’s side in His war against Satan. Therefore, we can reasonably expect that both Adam and Eve will receive eternal life from God.

Now it is of note that the story of Cain and Abel gives us a representation of the two classes of people who would live on the earth till God brings an end to the world as we now know it, and brings in His new, holy kingdom on earth.

Cain represents those people who walk in Satan’s ways of wickedness and, thus, take Satan’s side in his war against God. On the other hand, Abel represents those people who walk in God’s ways of love, thereby taking God’s side in His war against Satan.

So then, the class of people represented by Abel preserve a knowledge of God on earth by accepting God’s words, His law of love. Now God is always “speaking” supernaturally to every human being and also through God’s people on earth. Thus, God seeks to overthrow the words of Satan, the “whisperer” (Proverbs 16:28), who is also constantly “speaking,” figuratively, Satan’s law of wickedness to the hearts and minds of humanity.

The important lesson to be learnt here too is that it is Satan’s plan to kill all those people on earth who take God’s side in the war between himself and God. How does Satan plan to do this? By moving upon the heart of the wicked among humanity to kill the righteous, just as Satan caused Cain to kill his brother Abel.

Therefore, God says, “The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay [kill] him. The LORD will not leave him [the righteous] in his [the wicked’s] hand, nor condemn him [the righteous] when he [the righteous] is judged.” Psalm 7:32, 33.

So, God says to Satan and all humanity, “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones [the righteous]; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of…[the] Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 18:10. In other words, God protects the righteous from Satan by providing each of them with a guardian angel from heaven.

Thus, the righteous can say in truth and according to the word of God, the Bible, “But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge [from Satan].” Psalm 94:22.

The War and the People Who Lived Before the Flood: Approximately 3940 B.C. to 2302 B.C.

We will now look at the history of the people who lived on earth after Cain killed Abel. Where did these people come from? They were the children of Adam and Eve and also the offspring of Adam and Eve’s children who had married among themselves.

The War and the World Before the Flood: Approximately 3940 B.C. to 2302 B.C.

God says, “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair [beautiful]; and they took them wives of all which they chose.” Genesis 6:1, 2.

By “the sons of God” (Genesis 6:2), God means those people who accepted God’s words to them and lived according to God’s words, God’s law of love. While, by “the daughters of men” (Genesis 6:2) God means those people who accepted Satan’s words and lived according to Satan’s words, Satan’s law of wickedness.

What was the result of the comingling of the righteous and the wicked? “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man [people] was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5.

For God says, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” 1 Corinthians 15:33. Thus, the wicked succeeded in converting the righteous to their evil way of life.

“And it repented the LORD [God] [it made God sorry] that he had made man [the human race] on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD [God] said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me [I regret] that I have made them.” Genesis 6:6, 7.

“But Noah found grace [favour] in the eyes of the LORD [God]. These are the generations [descendants] of Noah: Noah was a just [righteous] man and perfect in his generations[in his time], and Noah walked with God [in God’s ways of love]. And Noah begat [fathered] three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” Genesis 6:8-10.

“The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh [all humanity] had corrupted his way upon the earth.” Genesis 6:11, 12.

Thus, essentially, the whole world had accepted Satan’s words to them, that is, accepted Satan’s law of wickedness, and so had taken Satan’s side in his war against God. The only exception we are told was the man named Noah.

For “God hath made man [Adam and Eve] upright [righteous]; but they [humanity] have sought out many inventions [wicked deeds].” Ecclesiastes 7:29.

“For vain man [humanity] would be wise, though man [humanity] be born like a wild ass’s [donkey’s] colt” (Job 11:12) knowing nothing about God and righteousness. And, even in the face of their ignorance of God, the people refused to be taught and to be led by God in His ways of love.

So, what was God to do to preserve a knowledge of God’s law of love on earth and to overthrow Satan’s words, Satan’s law of wickedness, to the human race? In other words, how was God to win the war between Himself and Satan? Continue reading and you will see.

The War and Noah and the Ark: 2302 B.C.

“And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh [people] is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” Genesis 6:13.

“Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it [make it waterproof] within and without [outside] with pitch [natural asphalt].” Genesis 6:14.

“And this is the fashion [way] which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits [450 feet], the breadth of it fifty cubits [75 feet], and the height of it thirty cubits [45 feet]. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit [one and a half feet] shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.” Genesis 6:15, 16.

“And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh [living things], wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.” Genesis 6:17.

“But with thee will I establish my covenant [promise]; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee…Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.” Genesis 6:18, 22.

So, God determined to save Noah and his family alive and to destroy the rest of the human race who were wicked. For those who were wicked had become fixed in their evil ways, in that, there was no hope of them changing their ways and becoming righteous.

Thus, through Noah and his family, God intended to preserve a knowledge His law of love on earth and to overthrow the words of Satan, Satan’s law of wickedness, on earth. This then was God’s strategy to win the war between Himself and Satan.

The War and the Flood: 2302 B.C.

Here then is a brief account of the worldwide flood which God sent upon the earth.

“And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters. And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered [with water].” Genesis 7:18, 19.

“And all flesh [living things] died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man [human being]: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.” Genesis 7:21, 22.

“And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man [humans], and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.” Genesis 7:23.

“And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.” Genesis 7:24.

So, at this time, Satan had prevailed against God in his war with God, because God was forced to rid the earth of all the wicked. For Satan’s law of wickedness had been accepted by the wicked instead of God’s law of love.

In other words, God was hampered in His attempt to preserve a knowledge of Himself through His words, His law of love, and to overthrow the words of Satan, Satan’s law of wickeness.

The War and God’s Heart Regarding the Flood: 2302 B.C.

What a tragedy, what a disaster for God and the human race was the worldwide flood that destroyed all the wicked on earth!

We can hear God’s heart in this matter when we see the reaction of king David at the death of his son, Absalom, who had sought to take king David’s life.

“And the king [David] was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!” 2 Samuel 18:33. “The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” 2 Samuel 19:4.

For God says, “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die [eternally, that is, be annihilated]? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live [eternally]?” Ezekiel 18:23.

“As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the [eternal] death [which is the annihilation] of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live [eternally]: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die [eternally]?” Ezekiel 33:11.

God was pained in His heart over the necessity of destroying the wicked.

The War and the Earth after the Flood: 2302 B.C. – Approximately 1950 B.C.

So, what was to be the future of the human race after the worldwide flood had destroyed all the wicked? How would God win the war with Satan?

“And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged [eased]; the fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; and the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated [decreased].” Genesis 8:1-3.

“And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him: Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.” Genesis 8:18, 19.

“And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish [fill] the earth.” Genesis 9:1.

“And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth…These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread [repopulated].” Genesis 9:18, 19.

Happily then, the human race did not become extinct with the death of the wicked in the flood. For a “few, that is, eight souls [persons] were saved” (1 Peter 3:20) by God in the ark.

This was a new beginning for the human race, in that, through these eight persons, God intended that His words, His law of love, should reign in the heart of every human being. Thus, God would prevail in His war against Satan, in that, God’s words, God’s law of love, would preserve a knowledge of God on earth and so overthrow the words of Satan, Satan’s law of wickedness.

The War and the Tower of Babel: Approximately 1950 B.C.

God had high hopes that, after the flood, humanity would take His side in the war between God and Satan.

Would God’s hopes be realised in the preservation of God’s law of love on earth and the overthrow of Satan’s law of wickedness on earth? Well, let us see what is the earth’s history after the flood.

God says, “And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.” Genesis 11:1, 2.

“And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly [thoroughly]. And they had brick for stone, and slime [natural asphalt] had they for morter [mortar, cement]. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” Genesis 11:3, 4.

“And the LORD [God] came down [from heaven] to see the city and the tower, which the children of men [people] builded. And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” Genesis 11:5-7.

“So the LORD [God] scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off [ceased] to build the city.” Genesis 11:8.

“Therefore is the name of it called Babel [meaning “confusion”]; because the LORD [God] did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD [God] scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.” Genesis 11:9.

God did this to prevent the world from reverting to the condition of the world before the flood, when almost the whole world had become fixed in the ways of Satan’s law of wickedness. Thus, by scattering the people, God sought to prevail over Satan in His war with Satan.

Analysis of the War and the Tower of Babel: Approximately 1950 B.C.

We see then that the people on earth, instead of accepting God’s law of love and living according to it, they sought to live as they pleased, which was to live according to Satan’s law of wickedness.

So, with the memory of the worldwide flood still fresh in the minds of the people on earth, they sought to save themselves from any future flood sent by God by building a tower that would “reach unto heaven.” Genesis 11:4.

The people must have known of God’s words to Noah, “And I will establish my covenant [promise] with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.” Genesis 9:11.

Here God promised to send Christ in the future as the Deliverer from sin and never to destroy the earth with a flood again. But the people, in their unbelief and willful sinfulness, lifted themselves up in pride and arrogance and had no respect for God and His words.

Therefore, God, not to be hindered in His plan for humanity, caused the people to start speaking many different languages which led to the people being scattered across the earth.

So, once more we have to ask the question, How was God to preserve a knowledge of Himself on earth through His words, His law of love, and thus overthrow the words of Satan, Satan’s law of wickedness? That is, How was God to win the war between Himself and Satan?

The War and Abraham who Lived from 1950 B.C. to 1775 B.C.

In answers to our questions, we come now to the story of a man named Abraham.

Who was Abraham? God said of Abraham, “I [God] know him [Abraham], that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD [God], to do justice and judgment; that the LORD [God] may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.” Genesis 18:19.

Therefore, “the God of glory appeared unto…Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran [Haran], and said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred [relatives], and come into the land which I shall shew thee.” Acts 7:2, 3.

“Then came he [Abraham] out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran [Haran]: and from thence, when his father was dead, he [God] removed him [Abraham] into…[the] land” (Acts 7:4), “into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they [Abraham and his household] came.” Genesis 12:5.

For God said to Abraham, “I [God] will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Genesis 12:2, 3.

What do God’s promises to Abraham mean? They mean much, but the key point for us to grasp here in this post, is that when Christ would be born in human flesh, He would be a descendant of Abraham. For, through Christ, all humanity would be blessed with a way of escape from eternal death (annihilation).

We see then that because Abraham lived according to God’s law of love, God chose Abraham and his descendants to be the preservers of a knowledge of God’s words, God’s law of love, on the earth shedding the light of God’s love in the world’s darkness of sin, and to be the ancestors of Christ in human flesh. Thus, God sought to overthrow the words of Satan, Satan’s law of wickedness on earth and, so, win the war between Satan and God.

Analysis of the War and Abraham who Lived from 1950 B.C. to 1775 B.C.

Was God’s strategy successful? Well, Abraham was faithful to God’s call to the end of his life. So, God’s plan was successful as it regards Abraham who will, therefore, receive eternal life from God.

Another important point to grasp here, is that from this point forward the Bible only concerns itself with Abraham and his descendants and how they did or did not fulfill their God-given mission to cause the world know and to live according to God’s law of love, by their being a holy example to the world.

Thus, from this point forward in the Bible, other peoples and nations are only mentioned in the Bible if they in some way come in contact with Abraham and his descendants. So then, this means that we do not find in the Bible a history of the peoples of Australia, Oceania, Africa, North America, South America, Central America, China, India, and so on, unless they had some contact or interaction with Abraham and his descendants.

The remainder of this post then will, accordingly, only deal with those whom we will call “God’s people,” those who are to be preservers of a knowledge of God’s words, God’s law of love, on earth. In other words, those who have taken God’s side in His war with Satan.

The War and Isaac Who Lived from 1850 B.C. to 1670 B.C.

So, God’s new strategy to win His war with Satan has been successful so far in the call of Abraham who was righteous. But what about Abraham’s descendants? Will they fulfil their God-given mission? Well, let us see.

Now “the LORD [God] visited Sarah [Abraham’s wife] as he had said, and the LORD [God] did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare [bore] Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him [Abraham].” Genesis 21:1, 2.

“And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare [bore] to him, Isaac.” Genesis 21:3.

When Isaac was grown into an adult, “the LORD [God] appeared unto him [Isaac in] the…night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed [descendants] for my servant Abraham’s sake.” Genesis 26:24.

So, God gave the same promises He had given to Abraham, to Abraham’s son, Isaac and, hence, Christ when He would be born in human flesh would be a descendant of Isaac.

Isaac lived his life according to God’s law of love and so was a shining light in the world’s darkness of sin.

Thus far then God’s plan to preserve a knowledge of Himself and His words, God’s law of love, on earth was successful. For, through Isaac, God sought to overthrow the words of Satan, Satan’s law of wickedness and, hence, win His war with Satan.

The War and Jacob and Esau: 1790 B.C. to 1660 B.C. When Jacob Entered into Egypt

God says, “And Isaac intreated [beseeched] the LORD [God] for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD [God] was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived… And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb…And the first…they called his name Esau…[and the second] his brother…his name was called Jacob.” Genesis 25:21-26.

Thus, Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau. Now Jacob had to flee his home for fear of Esau because Esau was angry with him and wished to kill him? Why? Because Esau had sold his birthright to Jacob and for a meal of lentil stew and also, because Jacob through deceit had stolen Isaac’s blessing which Isaac meant for Esau. However, eventually the two brothers made peace with each other.

Prior to this, when Jacob was on a journey to return to his home from his exile, “God said unto him [Jacob], Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.” Genesis 35:10.

“And God said unto him [Jacob now called Israel], I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; and the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee [Israel] I will give it, and to thy seed [descendants] after thee will I give the land.” Genesis 35:11, 12.

Now Jacob had twelve sons and a daughter by two wives and two other women to whom he was not married. These sons all came to hate their brother, Joseph. And it came to pass that “there passed by [Joseph’s brothers in the field] Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.” Genesis 37:28. The brothers then caused their father Jacob to believe that Joseph had been killed by wild animals.

But God was with Joseph in Egypt. So, it came to pass in a time of famine, that “Pharaoh [king of Egypt] said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee [to rule] over all the land of Egypt.” Genesis 41:41.

In the process Joseph was reunited with his family and Joseph forgave his brothers of their sin toward him.

For “Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh [king of Egypt] had sent to carry him. And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed [descendants] with him: His sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters, and all his seed [descendants] brought he [Jacob] with him into Egypt.” Genesis 46:5-7.

Thus, Jacob, that is, Israel and his descendants, “the Israelites” (Exodus 9:7) settled in Egypt.

Eventually, “Joseph died [in Egypt], being an hundred and ten years old.” Genesis 50:26.

So, God had a people, the Israelites, whom He called His people because through them He sought to preserve a knowledge of Himself, God’s law of love, and to overthrow Satan’s words, Satan’s law of wickedness on earth. Thus, in this way, God waged war against Satan on earth.

The War and Jacob’s Descendants: 1660 B.C. to 1445 B.C.

Well, God says, “And the children of Israel [the Israelites] were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed [grew] exceeding mighty; and the land [of Egypt] was filled with them.” Exodus 1:7.

“Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph [and his good deeds towards Egypt].” Exodus 1:8. “Therefore they [the Egyptians] did set over them [the Israelites] taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.” Exodus 1:11.

“But the more they [the Egyptians] afflicted them [the Israelites], the more they [the Israelites] multiplied and grew. And they [the Egyptians] were grieved because of the children of Israel [the Israelites].” Exodus 1:12. “And Pharaoh [king of Egypt] charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born [to the Israelites] ye shall cast into the river [to drown], and every daughter ye shall save alive.” Exodus 1:22.

So, Satan sought to prevent Christ from being born into the world as the Deliverer from sin, by killing every male child of the Israelites. But Satan did not succeed.

“Now the sojourning of the children of Israel [the Israelites], who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD [the Israelites] went out from the land of Egypt.” Exodus 12:40, 41. By this time, the Israelites numbered approximately two million people.

Thus, Satan was not able to from wipe Israel from the face of the earth, for God was with His people.

However, almost the whole nation of Israel had been corrupted by the false gods and idolatry of the Egyptians. So, in this respect Satan was successful in establishing his law of wickedness in Israel.

“Nevertheless he [God] left not himself without [a] witness” (Acts 14:17), who preserved a knowledge of God, God’s law of love, on earth. Thus, God could say in truth, “At this present time…there is a remnant according to the election of grace [God’s unmerited favour].” Romans 11:5.

Therefore, although the nation of Israel was God’s people, God’s true people was the remnant of Israel who lived according to God’s law of love. Through this remnant then God sought to overthrow the words of Satan, Satan’s law of wickedness, on earth and through them, God effectively waged war against Satan.

Now God says, “What advantage then hath the Jew [the Israelite]?…Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles [sayings] of God. ” Romans 3:1, 2.

Now the remnant of Israel was not the only people on earth whom God called His people. Certainly, there were other people scattered all over the world who lived according to God’s law of love taught to them by the Holy Spirit who supernaturally “spoke” to their hearts and minds. But God gave to Israel His written words which first began to be written down by Israel’s leader, a man named Moses.

The War and Ancient Israel: 1445 B.C. to 5 B.C.

We come now to the history of Israel from 1445 B.C. to about 1,500 years later in 5 B.C. What do we find as regards their God-given mission to be a light in the world’s darkness of sin?

God says, “Hear the word of the LORD [God], ye children [people] of Israel: for the LORD [God] hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.” Hosea 4:1, 2.

“They [Israel] sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom…[their] fathers feared [worshipped] not.” Deuteronomy 32:17.

There was even one “king [who] sat in the winterhouse…and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him. And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves [of the words which God had given to the prophet, Jeremiah], he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.” Jeremiah 36:22, 23.

This was a blatant attempt by Satan to destroy the word of God on earth. What did God do? “Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying, Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned.” Jeremiah 6:27, 28.

So, God said to Israel, “Thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.” Psalm 50:17.

Still, God had a faithful remnant in Israel and, so, God’s purpose of preserving a knowledge of Himself, of God’s law of love, was not frustrated by Satan’s schemes. Through the remnant, God’s purpose of destroying Satan’s words, his law of wickedness, went forward and, thus, God successfully waged war against Satan.

The War and Christ When He was on Earth: 5 B.C. to 31 A.D.

Now Christ was born on earth as a baby boy named “Jesus” (Matthew 1:21) over 2,000 years ago in approximately 5 B.C. At Christ’s birth into the world, God said, “Let all the angels of God worship him [Christ].” Hebrews 1:6.

And “God anointed Jesus [Christ] of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost [Holy Spirit]  and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” Acts 10:38.

However, God said, “My people [Israel] would not hearken to [obey] my voice; and Israel would none of me.” Psalm 81:11. For “He [Christ] was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He [Christ] came unto his own [people Israel], and his own [people Israel] received him not.” John 1:10, 11.

Nevertheless, there was a remnant of Israel who became disciples of Christ when He was on earth. So, “He [Christ] called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles.” Luke 6:13.

And Christ said to the people of Israel, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” Matthew 23:37, 38.

Thus, God rejected Israel (the Jews) as His chosen people on earth “to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 4:6) to the world. Now there was a “spiritual Rock that followed them [that was with Israel]: and that Rock was Christ.” 1 Corinthians 10:4. So, Christ said to His disciples, “upon this rock [mine own self, Christ] I will build my church [the Christian church]; and the gates of hell [gates of Satan] shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:18.

The Christian church is known as “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16) and is also called spiritual Israel.

And it came to pass that some of the Jews handed Christ over to the Roman governor to be put to death. So, “they crucified him [Christ]” (Matthew 27:35) by nailing His hands and feet to a t-shaped wooden structure called a cross, and thus Christ died. “He [Christ] was buried, and that he rose [to life] again the third day [after His death].” 1 Corinthians 15:4.

After Christ’s resurrection, that is, Christ’s rising to live again, “he [Christ] said unto them [His disciples], Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel [God’s plan to save humanity from eternal death (annihilation)] to every creature [every person].” Mark 16:15.

So, Christ “having spoiled [stripped Satan’s] principalities and powers [of their pretended holiness], he [Christ] made a shew [show, exhibition] of them [of Satan and his evil angels] openly [to God’s loyal, watching universe], triumphing over them [Satan and his evil angels] in it [in His, Christ’s, own death and resurrection].” Colossians 2:15.

Thus, “by the resurrection of Jesus Christ…[Christ Himself] is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; [the holy] angels [in heaven] and authorities and powers [in the all the universe] being made subject unto him [by God].” 1 Peter 3:21, 22.

Analysis of the War and Christ When He was on Earth: 5 B.C. to 31 A.D.

We see then that God had to reject the nation of Israel as His chosen people and, thus, in this sad and totally avoidable end of Israel’s role in the world, Satan was able to claim the victory over God in the war between God and Satan.

But God can never be overcome by His enemies, for God is wiser than all His created, intelligent beings, all-knowing, and all-powerful. So, instead of God setting Israel as a light to shine in the darkness of the sinful world to attract the whole world to God as He had done before, God now established the Christian church on earth with a God-given commission to go into the whole world with God’s message to them.

By this means, God works to preserve a knowledge of God, of God’s law of love, on earth and to overthrow the words of Satan, of Satan’s law of wicked. This then was God’s strategy to win His war with Satan.

Note that even though God took away His commission from the nation of Israel, this does not prevent any individual Jew from being saved by God from eternal death (annihilation). All Jews stand on an equal footing with every other human being as it pertains to their salvation and their receiving eternal life from God.

The Seven Churches in the Book of Revelation

The book of Revelation is the last book in the Bible, and it records God’s message to world which was given to Christ’s disciple named John, through an angel from heaven and through a vision (supernatural mental imagery from God).

Now Christ said to John, “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in [the Roman province called] Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.” Revelation 1:11.

“Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.” Revelation 1:19.

Here we need to understand that, though the letters John wrote to the seven churches in the Roman province called Asia, in what is modern day Turkey in Eastern Europe, were literal messages for these churches, the letters also had a symbolic meaning.

Through the symbolism in the seven letters, God gave a prophecy of what would happen to the Christian church from the time of Christ’s death in 31 A.D. down through time to the Christ’s second coming to the earth.

In essence, God gave a prophecy of Satan’s attempts to wipe the Christian church from the face of the earth. You will recall that it was said earlier in this post, that it is Satan’s aim to kill every human being who is loyal to God in order to win his war against God. That is, Satan aims to kill all those people on earth who are preserving a knowledge of God’s word, of God’s law of love on earth and thereby overthrowing Satan’s words, Satan’s law of wickedness.

But, fear not! God will win the war between Himself and Satan. God’s love will triumph over Satan’s evil.

We will now consider the messages to the seven churches in turn as this will enlighten us as to how Satan continues to wage war against God after Christ’s death.

The War and the Christian Church: The Church of Ephesus: 31 A.D. – 100 A.D.

Here is some of what John wrote to the Christian church at the city of Ephesus. The name “Ephesus” means desirable.

Christ commends the church of Ephesus but He registers a rebuke against the church. “Nevertheless I [Christ] have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” Revelation 2:4.

What does this mean? The followers of Christ, known as Christians, are to “have a zeal of [for] God.” Romans 10:2. In other words, God says, “The fire [of wholehearted consecration to God] shall ever be burning upon the altar [of the heart]; it shall never go out.” Leviticus 6:13.

So, we see here that by the year 100 A.D., Satan was already gaining a foothold in the Christian church in causing its members to lose their first love for Christ and for God. God’s message then to the Christians of that time was alert them to their spiritual condition and cause them to return to their first love.

For the church is God’s spiritual weapon to wage war against Satan. A weapon to overthrow Satan’s words, Satan’s law of wickedness on earth and to preserve a knowledge of God, of God’s law of love on earth and, thereby, be victorious in the war between God and Satan.

The War and the Christian Church: The Church of Smyrna: 100 A.D. – 323 A.D.

Here is some of what John wrote to the church at the city of Smyrna. The name “Smyrna” means sweet fragrance.

Christ commends the church and has no rebuke for the church of Smyrna.

God says, “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy [the evil speaking regarding God] of them which say they are Jews [true Christians, that is, members of spiritual Israel], and are not, but are the synagogue [church] of Satan.” Revelation 2:9.

“Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil [Satan] shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten [prophetic] days [which is ten literal years]: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of [eternal] life.” Revelation 2:10.

What does all this mean? First, there were false Christians in the church who really belonged to Satan’s church which consists of people whom God calls “the children of the devil [Satan].” 1 John 3:10.

Second, the Christian church was experiencing great persecution resulting in the imprisonment and death, that is, the martyrdom, of some Christians because of their faith in Christ. Specifically, Christ refers to the persecution of the Roman emperor Diocletian over the 10-year period 303 A.D. to 313 A.D.

Why do I say a 10-year period and not a 10-day period? The reason why is the day-for-a-year principle of interpretation of some prophecies in the Bible.

This day-for-a-year principle is given in the following verses: “After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.” Number 14:34.

“And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.” Ezekiel 4:6.

Here Satan employed cruelty and death in his effort to wipe the Christian church from the face of the earth, but he did not succeed in his purpose. In fact, the more Satan put Christians to death, the more there were new converts to the Christian faith having left Satan’s kingdom.

Thus, God was still able to preserve a knowledge of Himself, of God’s law of love, on earth through the Christian church and to overthrow Satan’s words, Satan’s law of wickedness. In other words, God successfully waged war against Satan.

The War and the Christian Church: The Church of Pergamos: 323 A.D. – 538 A.D.

Here is some of what John wrote to the church at the city of Pergamos. The name “Pergamos” means height, elevation.

Christ commends the church at Pergamos and registers a rebuke to them.

“But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine [teaching] of Balaam, who taught Balac [Balak] to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication [sexual intimacy between people who are not married to each other].” Revelation 2:14.

“So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine [teaching] of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.” Revelation 2:15.

What is the significance of the date 323 A.D.? This was the year of the so-called conversion of the Roman emperor Constantine to the Christian faith. Thus, persecution of the Christian church stopped and Christianity was elevated to the position of the state religion of the Roman Empire. Thus, there was a uniting of church and state.

This was a dangerous time for the Christian church for Satan, seeing that he was unsuccessful in killing all the Christians, changed strategy and now sought to corrupt the faith of the Christian church.

So, Christ refers to the false teachings in the church and the prevalence of sexual immorality in the church.

This new strategy of Satan was successful in corrupting the faith of the Christian church for the church became popular among pagans, those who believed in many gods and not in “the true God…the living God, and an everlasting king.” Jeremiah 10:10. These pagans joined the Christian church and brought into the church their false gods, false teachings, and immorality.

Many of the Christians compromised their faith to welcome these pagans into the church and to escape persecution. But a small remnant of Christians refused to compromise their faith and they separated themselves from the Christian church.

Here now we need to make a distinction between the visible Christian church and “the church in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38), where the latter church was the faithful remnant of the Christian church, that is, the true church.

We see then that Satan was successful in corrupting the vast majority of Christians, but God had a faithful remnant. This remnant preserved a knowledge of God, of God’s law of love, on earth and so worked to overthrow Satan’s words, Satan’s law of wickedness on earth.

Thus, God was not defeated by Satan in the war between God and Satan.

The War and the Christian Church: The Church of Thyatira: 538 A.D. – 1517 A.D.

We come now to some of what John wrote to the church at the city of Thyatira. The name “Thyatira” means sweet savour of labour.

Christ said, “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.” Revelation 2:20.

“But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine [teaching], and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.” Revelation 2:24.

What is the significance of the year 538 A.D.? Well, to begin, prior to this in 533 A.D., the Roman emperor, Justinian, had declared that the Bishop of Rome, the head of the church in the city of Rome, was “the head of all the churches” and “head of all bish­ops, and the true and effective corrector of heretics [all who do not abide by the teachings of the church].”

However, it was not until the year 538 A.D., that the Bishop of Rome was able to exercise supremacy over all the churches in Christendom. The year 538 A.D. then marked the beginning of what is known as the papacy or the Roman Catholic Church.

Over a thousand years before 538 A.D., God had prophesied about the papacy, the Roman Catholic Church, saying, “And he [the pope] shall speak great [blasphemous] words against the most High [God], and shall wear out [persecute] the saints of the most High [God], and think to change times and laws: and they [the saints] shall be given into his [the pope’s] hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.” Daniel 7:25.

What does all this mean? There is very much said in the Bible about the Roman Catholic church, particularly, in the books of Daniel and Revelation. For the purpose and scope of this post, I will only bring out a few points from the Bible.

Analysis the War and Bible Prophecy Regarding the Roman Catholic Church

Here are some points about the Roman Catholic Church from the Bible:

Point 1. The Roman Catholic Church would reign for a period of “time [one prophetic year] and times [two prophetic years] and the dividing of time [half of a prophetic year].” Daniel 7:25. This adds up to 1 + 2 + ½ = 3½ prophetic years.

Since in the Bible there are 360 days in a literal year, 3½ literal years is 3½ x 360 = 1,260 literal days = 1,260 prophetic years according to the day-for-a-year principle in the Bible. Thus, 1,260 prophetic years from 538 A.D. takes us down to 1798 A.D. So, the Roman Catholic Church would reign from 538 A.D. to 1798 A.D.

This fits with the historical record, for in 1798 A.D., the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte’s general Berthier took the pope captive and the pope died in captivity. This then was end of the reign of the Roman Catholic Church in 1798 A.D.

Point 2. The Roman Catholic Church speaks blasphemy (evil words regarding God) in at least two ways:

• The claim by the Roman Catholic Church that the pope is God on earth. This is blasphemous because God says, It is “blasphemy…because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” John 10:33.
• The claim by the Roman Catholic Church to forgive sins. This blasphemous because God says, You “speak blasphemies [for] who can forgive sins but God only?” Mark 2:7.

Point 3. “And the woman [the Roman Catholic Church] was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication [her spiritual fornication with Satan].” Revelation 17:4.

“And upon her [the Roman Catholic Church’s] forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” Revelation 17:5.

“And I saw the woman [The Roman Catholic Church] drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration [amazement].” Revelation 17:6.

Thus, the Roman Catholic Church has persecuted the saints of God who are the true followers of Christ, killing from 50 Million to 100 Million Christians over the period of their reign from 538 A.D. to 1798 A.D. For anyone who did not follow the Roman Catholic Church’s false teachings was put to death by this church.

Point 4. God prophesied that the Roman Catholic Church would “think to change times and laws.” Daniel 7:25. They have done both these things:

• The Roman Catholic Church has changed the fourth of the ten commandments of God’s law of love, which points to the seventh-day Sabbath to make it point to the first day of the week, Sunday. The seventh-day Sabbath runs from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday.

The fourth commandment as God spoke it and as God wrote it reads: “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:8-11.

• They have removed the second commandment against bowing down to and worshipping images and divided the tenth commandment into two to make up the number of commandments to ten.

The second commandment as God spoke it and as God wrote it reads: “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.” Exodus 20:4-6.

Notice that we have been able to make all these four points about the Roman Catholic Church from a single verse in the Bible, Daniel 7:25. In effect, the pope is what the Bible calls the “antichrist.” 1 John 2:18.

Now there is much, much more in the Bible about the Roman Catholic Church and end times prophecies. To get an understanding of this, read and study the Bible, particularly the books of Daniel and Revelation in the Bible.

We see then in the Roman Catholic Church a gigantic system of false religion which is Satan’s masterpiece of deception. For anyone who follows the Roman Catholic Church’s false teachings is guaranteed to lose eternal life and, instead, receive eternal death (annihilation) from God.

We may ask, Has Satan finally succeeded in removing a knowledge of God, of God’s law of love, on the earth? Has Satan finally won his war against God? Absolutely not!

It is important to note that all throughout the reign of the Roman Catholic Church from 538 A.D. to 1798 A.D., God’s faithful remnant, “the church in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38), maintained in the face of Catholic persecution “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints [by Christ Himself].” Jude 1:3.

Thus, God, through His faithful remnant, has waged war on earth against Satan and sought to overthrow Satan’s words, Satan’s law of wickedness, on earth.

The War and Light in the Darkness: John Wycliffe (Born 1330 A.D., Died 1384 A.D.)

God had a care for his people who were kept in darkness regarding Him by the false teachings and persecutions of the Roman Catholic Church.

So, God raised up a man named John Wycliffe, (Born 1330 A.D., Died 1384 A.D.) who for the first time ever translated the whole Bible into the English language. Thus, people were now able to read the Bible for themselves.

John Wycliffe is known as “the morning star” (Revelation 2:28) of the Reformation, for he also preached against the sins and errors of the Roman Catholic Church in an attempt  to reform the church.

Here then is a glimmer of the light that God purposed should come into the world to preserve a knowledge of God’s words, of God’s law of love on earth and to overthrow Satan’s schemes through his law of wickedness. The war is still raging on earth and God has not been defeated in the war by any means.

The War and the Christian Church: The Church of Sardis: 1517 A.D. – 1798 A.D.

Here is some of what God said to the church at the city of Sardis. The name “Sardis” means that which remains or the escape of the remnant.

Christ commends some in the church of Sardis and also registers a rebuke of the church.

Christ said, “And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.” Revelation 3:1.

“Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.” Revelation 3:2.

“Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” Revelation 3:3.

“Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white [in heaven]: for they are worthy.” Revelation 3:4.

Again, you must be asking, What does all this mean? What is the significance of the year 1517 A.D.? Continue reading and you will see.

Analysis of the War and the Christian Church: The Church of Sardis: 1517 A.D. – 1798 A.D.

A man named Martin Luther, on October 31, 1517 A.D., nailed a document to the door of a Roman Catholic Church with his 95 theses against the Roman Catholic Church’s error of selling what were called indulgences. According to the Roman Catholic Church, by paying money to the church one could guarantee one’s acceptance by God into heaven and eternal life from God.

But God says to all who follow such teaching, “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.” Acts 8:20.

Martin’s Luther’s document spread near and far and led to the start of what is called the Protestant Reformation. That is, God raised up reformers who attempted, at the cost of their own lives at the hand of the Roman Catholic Church, to reform the church.

This attempted reform of the church proved unsuccessful and, so, many people left the Roman Catholic Church and formed what is known as Protestant churches. Examples of these Protestant churches are the Lutheran Church, the Methodist Church, and the Presbyterian Church.

Through these reformers many truths that had been lost to the vast majority of the people in the world were restored.

So, God was successful in counteracting Satan’s words, Satan’s law of wickedness, on earth in His war against Satan. For the reformers brought out once more God’s words, God’s law of love, to the world.

The War and the Protestant Churches: 1517 A.D. to 1798 A.D.

But God found fault with the Protestant churches because they all stopped advancing in the path of reform of their founders and retained many of the errors and false teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Protestant churches are daughter churches of the Roman Catholic Church, whom God calls “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” Revelation 17:5. Thus, God calls the Protestant churches “HARLOTS” (Revelation 17:5) that is, prostitutes.

For one particular error of the Protestant churches, is their observance of the first day of the week, Sunday, as the Christian Sabbath instead of the seventh-day Sabbath prescribed by God in His ten commandments recorded in the Bible.

What was God to do? Errors and false teachings emanating from Satan were widespread in the world, How then would this issue be resolved by God? Well, as always God has a plan to successfully wage war against Satan and his evil in the world. So, continue reading and you will see.

The War and the Christian Church: The Church of Philadelphia: 1798 A.D. – 1844 A.D.

Here is some of what John wrote to the church at the city of Philadelphia. The name “Philadelphia” means brotherly love.

Christ commends this church which was known for its brotherly love and gives them no rebuke.

Christ said, “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man [person] can shut it: for thou hast a little [moral] strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” Revelation 3:8.

“Behold, I will make them of the synagogue [church] of Satan, which say they are Jews [true followers of Christ], and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.” Revelation 3:9.

“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try [test] them that dwell upon the earth.” Revelation 3:10.

During this period, 1798 A.D. to 1844 A.D., many Bible Societies were formed which printed and distributed Bibles all over the world.

Also, from about the 1830s A.D., God raised up people all across the world who were studying the prophecies of the book of Daniel and who all came to the conclusion that Christ would return to earth by 1843 A.D. or 1844 A.D. This was a great religious awakening that found thousands of believers from among unbelievers and among the Protestant churches.

In the United States of America, a prominent preacher of Christ’s Second Advent (Second Coming), was a man named William Miller, and his followers came to be known as the Millerites.

William Miller, along with other Advent preachers, interpreted the Bible’s prophecy of the cleansing of the sanctuary to mean that Christ would come to the earth on October 22, 1844 to judge the earth by cleansing the earth with fire of all the wicked, and taking all the righteous living and the resurrected righteous to heaven with Him.

So, far from being defeated in His war against Satan, God was working in the world to preserve a knowledge of Himself, of God’s law of love, and to overthrow Satan’s words, Satan’s law of wickedness.

The War and the Great Disappointment: 1844 A.D.

The Advent believers were disappointed because Christ did not come on October 22, 1844 A.D. and this was known as “The Great Disappointment.” As a result, many of the Advent believers who were now being mocked by the world gave up their faith in the Second Advent.

However, a few of the Advent believers prayed and studied the Bible earnestly to find where they had made an error in their interpretation of the Bible. They found that the date October 22, 1844 A.D. was correct but they were mistaken as to the event that took place on that day.

The actual event that occurred on that day was the movement of Christ from the Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary to the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary to begin a work of the Investigative Judgment before coming to the earth again.

All this God had foretold in the book of Revelation: “And the voice which I [John] heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book [the book of Daniel in the Bible] which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.” Revelation 10:8.

“And I [John] went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book [the book of Daniel in the Bible]. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.” Revelation 10:9.

“And I [John] took the little book [the book of Daniel in the Bible] out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.” Revelation 10:10.

“And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” Revelation 10:11. So, the Advent believers were commanded by God to continue to preach the end time messages to the world.

These messages they were to preach were the beginning of the Investigative Judgment on October 22, 1844 and the Three Angels’ Messages of Revelation Chapter 14:6-12.

Here now was a new movement on earth, raised up by God to wage war against Satan and his law of wickedness.

The War and the Three Angels Messages: 1844 A.D.

The First Angel’s Message is: “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” Revelation 14:6, 7.

The Second Angel’s Message is: “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Revelation 14:8.

The Third Angel’s Message is: “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.” Revelation 14:9, 10.

“And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Revelation 14:11, 12.

Here is brought to view the most fearful of all God’s warnings to humanity. Will humanity obey God’s words, God’s law of love, or obey Satan’s words, Satan’s law of wickedness? This is God’s final stand in His war against Satan.

The War and the Christian Church: The Church of Laodicea: 1844 A.D. – 2020 A.D.

The seventh and last church in the book of Revelation is the church in the city of Laodicea. The name “Laodicea” means judging of the people.

Christ has no commendation for this church, only rebuke.

Here is some of what Christ says to the church of Laodicea: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue [vomit] thee out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:15, 16.

“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment [clothing], that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” Revelation 3:17, 18.

“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten [discipline]: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup [dine] with him, and he with me.” Revelation :19, 20.

Now the Advent movement became organised as the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1863 A.D. This church now operates in over 215 countries in the world teaching God’s words, God’s law of love, including the Three Angels’ Messages and it has millions of members. That is, the Seventh-day Adventist church is God’s remnant church in these last days.

This Seventh-day Adventist Church is the church of Laodicea today and it is the church commissioned by God to preach the end time messages to the world.

Note that a careful, prayerful study of the Three Angels’ Messages will reveal that “Babylon” and the “beast” in these messages represent the Roman Catholic Church. “The mark of the beast” (Revelation 16:2) is the false Sabbath, Sunday, of the Roman Catholic Church.

Eventually, Satan is he who will “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.” Revelation 13:15-17.

This is the final test to be brought upon the world by God, whether humanity will obey God’s seventh-day Sabbath or obey the words of Satan through the Roman Catholic Church in keeping Sunday as the so-called Sabbath of God.

This then is the state of the war between God and Satan as of 2020 A.D. God is wanting to bring an end to His war with Satan.

The War in Heaven’s Present: 2021 A.D.

The book of Revelation also has six seals representing the history of the church from another aspect from the year 31 A.D. up to when Christ returns to the earth a second time. Today in 2021 A.D. we are living in the time of the sixth seal.

The events of the sixth seal are given as follows. “And I [John] beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.” Revelation 6:12, 13.

“And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” Revelation 6:14.

“And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains.” Revelation 6:15.

“And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” Revelation 6:16, 17.

The first three signs of Christ’s coming have already occurred. The first sign was an earthquake on November 1, 1755 in Lisbon in Europe. The second sign which occurred over New England in America and parts of Canada was the “Dark Day” of May 19, 1780. The third and final sign occurred in the great meteor shower of November 13, 1833 which was seen all over North America.

We are now living in the time between the Bible verses, Revelation 6:13 and Revelation 6:14, awaiting Christ’s soon return to the earth. The long-standing and ongoing war between God and Satan will soon wrap up and come to an end.

But how will it end? Will God succeed in preserving a knowledge of Himself, of God’s law of love, on earth and in overthrowing Satan’s words, Satan’s law of wickedness? What we do know is that God will not allow the war to go on forever.

The War in Earth’s Present: The Christian Church in 2021 A.D.

Here is the condition of the vast majority of the Christian world in the year 2021 A.D.

God says of these churches, “Laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men…Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition…Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” Mark 7:8-13.

The only exception to these words of God’s on earth is the Seventh-day Adventist Church which has pure, unadulterated Bible teachings.

So, the stage has been set for the last great conflict in the war between God and Satan. What will be the outcome of the war? We have only to consider now in this post the future of which God has already prophesied in his wisdom and power.

The War in Earth’s Future: 2021 A.D. to Eternity Future

God says of earth’s destiny in all eternity future, “And I [John] saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.” Revelation 15:2.

“And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb [Christ], saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.” Revelation 15:3.

“Who shall not fear thee, O Lord [God], and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.” Revelation 15:4.

“And the LORD [God] shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.” Zechariah 14:9. For “the counsel of the LORD [God] standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.” Psalm 33:11.

Here we see then the glorious victory of God over Satan in the war between Himself and Satan. Whose words, whose law, has prevailed on earth? It is God’s words, God’s law of love. The war is now over and Satan has been defeated.

The War in Heaven’s Future: 2021 A.D. to Eternity Future

Lastly, we look at the state of heaven in all eternity future.

“For…God [had] spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” 2 Peter 2:4.

“And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” Jude 1:6.

“For…the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression [sin] and disobedience received a just recompence of reward [from God].” Hebrews 2:2.

For “the devil [Satan and his evil angels] that deceived them [the human race] was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.” Revelation 20:10. “And whosoever [among humanity who] was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15. “They shall be as though they had not been.” Obadiah 1:16. That is, they shall cease to exist for they have been annihilated.

And all heaven will say, “For ever, O LORD [God], thy word is settled in heaven.” Psalm 119:89. And God will say, “Affliction [sin] shall not rise up the second time [in all the universe].” Nahum 1:9.

Thus, we see that God in His wise strategy in His war with Satan has ensured that there will never be any such war again in the universe. God has prevailed over Satan and God’s words, God’s law of love, reigns supreme in all the universe.

Conclusion

We have come to the end of a lengthy post in which we considered our Bible verse of focus: “The eyes of the LORD [God] preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor [evildoer].” Proverbs 22:12.

We have thus seen that starting from the beginning of the war between God and Satan in heaven up until all eternity future, God has worked with wisdom, patience, and love, to preserve God’s words, God’s law of love, in the universe and to overthrow Satan’s words, Satan’s law of wickedness. And God has succeeded in His purposes and so, we say, Praise the Lord!

Now that you have some idea of the ongoing war in the universe to overthrow God and its future outcome, I appeal to you to take every necessary step to ensure that you receive eternal life from God and so escape eternal death (annihilation). For God says, “I will forewarn you.” Luke 12:5.

The Bible Teaches Us How to Obtain Eternal Life from God

“In the beginning was the Word [Christ], and the Word [Christ] was with God, and the Word [Christ] was God.” John 1:1. “And the Word [Christ] was made flesh [was born as a baby boy named Jesus], and dwelt among us [human beings], (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father).” John 1:14. Thus, Christ, whose “name is called The Word of God” (Revelation 19:13) is the One who gave the whole Bible to humanity, from the Bible’s beginning to its end. Further, “God is love.” (1 John 4:8), which is to say, Christ is love.

And every one of you as a human being are to “lay apart [put away] all filthiness and superfluity [abundance] of naughtiness [of wickedness], and receive with meekness the engrafted [the implanted] word [from God, which is the Bible and], which is able to save your souls [from annihilation by God as the penalty for sin].” James 1:21. For the word of God, the Bible, being implanted in us means that “the love of God is shed abroad [is poured] in our hearts by the Holy Ghost [the Holy Spirit] which is given unto us.” Romans 5:5. So then, “love is of God; and every one [every human being] that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.” 1 John 4:7. This is known as “justification” (Romans 4:25) which is accomplished by our repentance, that is, our deep sorrow for our sins and the gift of faith from God, which when exercised to believe God’s promise of forgiveness of sins and cleansing from sin brings us the gift of love from God. Note that everyone receives the gift of faith from God but without repentance people have a superficial faith and not saving (correct) faith that takes proper hold of God’s truth by the working of the Holy Spirit.

Immediately upon our justification, God tests our character to see if we will successfully resist all temptation to sin. Our success depends on our exercising faith in Christ’s keeping power through the Holy Spirit and, hence, we become sanctified (made holy) and thus receive eternal life from God.

And this is life eternal [everlasting life], that they [as human beings] might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent [to the earth as a Deliverer from sin].” John 17:3. Thus, when the whole Bible makes our character a character of perfect love, it means that we know God and, hence, we will receive eternal life from God.

How This Blog Teaches Bible Study

My blog posts take one or more Bible verses and unpack what is often the hidden meaning in them, to help you to gain in your understanding of the Bible, and to receive insights into how to study it. For God says, “Study [the Bible] to shew [show] thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing [interpreting] the word of truth [the Bible].” 2 Timothy 2:15. There are new blog posts every two weeks on a Monday at 12:01 a.m. in timezone UTC-5 (GMT-5).

Further Reading

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