God Is In Control - so what's up with the Adversary?

[jabcat]

I believe God is in control.  That being said, this is an interesting scripture - from The Christian Bible (1991).

Luke 4:5-8  So he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the inhabited earth in a second of time.  Now the Adversary [Satan] said to Him, "I will give You this authority, all of it, and their glory;  for it has been delivered over to me, and I can give it to whomever I want.  So then, if You worship before me, it will all be Yours".  Now in response, Yesu said to him, "It has been written, 'you must be worshiping the Master, your God, and must be offering divine service to only Him!'"

My belief that God is in control and Master of all is based on numerous things, including this scripture - Matthew 11:25  On the same occasion Yesu said in response, "I acclaim You, Father, Master of heaven and earth...."  27 All things have been delivered over to me by my Father.. ( and an extra little blessing  :bigGrin: 28 You must come here to Me, all you who are laboring and being made to carry cargo, and I will give you rest!)

In the first passage, do you think the Adversary a) lied b) only had temporary "control" and perhaps only of certain things, c) some other answer?  There's also  scripture where he's called 'the prince of the air' and "the prince of this world'.

The scriptures being reliable, there's no contradiction - there's an explanation, whether it be translation, interpretation, or revelation.   Thoughts?

[WhiteWings]

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2Co 4:4 KJV)
=> Satan is not only prinnce but also god of this world. Not of everything.

for it has been delivered over to me

=> It was given to satan. Not taken by force. No claims of duration are made.
=> When Father makes a new earth is it still it? (aka ended)

Prince is of a lower rank than king. In fact a prince has no land at all. It's just like  a sub-contractor :-)

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
(Mat 4:1-10 KJV)

Jesus did believe in the power of satan. Jesus refuses the offer but does not say satan hasn't got the power to give those things. Neither does Jesus say satan is lying this time.

[jabcat]

So a practical way to say that might be, God is Master of everything, but the adversary/satan is god of murder?  god of rape?  god of lying?, etc?

If that's what you're saying, that makes some sense...an underling...which is what I really believe, that satan is a tool, used in God's overall [Master] plan...key phrase, God still the Master.

[WhiteWings]

Satan and Jesus both are tools/part of the plan.
Satan is around to show carnal nature, terror, hate, lies, etc
Jesus is/was around to show the opposite.

Satan is prince now.
Jesus will be king.

Prince overrules humans.
King overrules prince.
Creator overrules King.

[jabcat]

So a practical way to say that might be, God is Master of everything, but the adversary/satan is god of murder?  god of rape?  god of lying?, etc?

If that's what you're saying, that makes some sense...an underling...which is what I really believe, that satan is a tool, used in God's overall [Master] plan...key phrase, God still the Master.

I just realized that something goes deeper here though.  Not just of the obviously "evil" things, but satan also said he was the ruler of "kingdoms" of the earth...governments?  Sounds that way perhaps.  I'm going to have to think about this some more, because is that's so, then God's still in control but what does that look like, and would satan have control of ALL governments, or just certain ones...or none at all...thinking...comments? :Chinscratch:

[rosered]

 
 Hi Jab ,

 good question
  good discourse between you and WW  or these things


 it just maybe Satan had the power over  flesh and blood  =death / earth/ flesh / this world  
, but the Cross of Jesus put Jesus in control   :thumbsup:

the glory  that would be  known  when  Jesus finished this  task


thats the great ''sign of the Cross'''

Hbr 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Jhn 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

Jhn 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.
Jhn 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:


 good stuff guys , got me to thinking  again , I have thought of this a few times   as well  :icon_flower:

[jabcat]

Hi rosie...thanks, I'm getting ready to go to bed (worked tonight), but I'll read your comments more closely when my head is clearer...good night, God bless.

[rosered]

 Hi Jab ,
 I had some  confusion   with Adam given  dominion
over everything  , but the more  study  i believe  

  satan was given that power  because of  Adams disobedience  
making Adam a slave to sin /  thus death was the result/wage  of it
 thats why Jesus Come in the fulness  of time to put an end to  this and make us captives of Christ / Body / life  once again

Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.  

[rosered]

Hi rosie...thanks, I'm getting ready to go to bed (worked tonight), but I'll read your comments more closely when my head is clearer...good night, God bless.

sweet dreams James !
  poor thing an all nighter  , those are tough to get used to , my hubby works the  night shift
 thats why im up before dawn  :icon_flower:

   oh yeah  dominion  is described as


Strong's H7287 - radah

  1) to rule, have dominion, dominate, tread down

a) (Qal) to have dominion, rule, subjugate

b) (Hiphil) to cause to dominate

2) to scrape out

a) (Qal) to scrape, scrape out
  total 27  times   AV — rule 13, dominion 9, take 2, prevaileth 1, reign 1, ruler 1

[CHB]

Hi All,

I think Satan was the god of this world and wasn't lying but he was speaking half truths just like when he told Eve that she would not die and that she would know good and evil. Satan left out the part that she would die spiritually and much later physically. He failed to tell her how bad the evil would be.

This reminds me of how some car salesmen talk and I say some. They point out how good the car looks, what a good deal you are getting and fail to tell you that it has been wrecked or flood damaged and so forth. Deceiving, crafty, is a good word to describe Satan.

Satan only had control over what God allowed him to have control over.

CHB