As we approach the final days leading to the Cross of Jesus, it is of highest importance that we have a clear understanding of what is really taking place before our eyes.
From that time on Jesus began to show His disciples that
He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders,
chief priests, and scribes, and that He must be killed and on the third day be
raised to life. Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. “Far be it from
You, Lord! he said. “This shall never happen to You!” But Jesus turned and
said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me. For you
do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”… Mtt 16:21
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What is about to happen is not a matter of political and religious infighting and Jesus becoming an unfortunate victim. What is about to happen takes place on a cosmic level and is a battle between heaven and hell.
Then a war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels
fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But the
dragon was not strong enough, and no longer was any place found in heaven for
him and his angels. And the great dragon was hurled down—the ancient serpent
called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to
the earth, and his angels with him. Rv: 12:7
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Satan had been created by God as an angel and clothed in unimaginable glory. But pride so consumed Satan and many other angels like him, that he considered himself as equal to God. For this grave sin they were expelled from heaven. God then chose to create human kind and give them the glory forsaken by the prideful fallen angels.
For it is not to angels that He has subjected the world
to come, about which we are speaking. But somewhere it is testified in these
words: “What is man, that You are mindful
of him, or the son of man, that You care for him? You made him a little lower
than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor and placed everything
under his feet.” Heb 2:5
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Enraged and consumed with deadly hatred, Satan set about to destroy God's plan by corrupting the human heart with the same sinful pride that had cause his own downfall. And so "Death" entered the world.
And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed in
the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She
was pregnant and crying out in the pain and agony of giving birth.
Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon
with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads. His tail
swept a third of the stars from the sky, tossing them to the earth. And the
dragon stood before the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour
her child as soon as He was born. Rv: 12:1
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"Ready to devour . . .", The voice of Death and his message literally devours all hope that life has sown in man's heart. "Your destiny is to rot in graves, consumed by worms; never to live again . . ." is Death's message.
Because PRIDE caused the corruption of the fallen angels, God's plan for human kind was that life should begin in time, before eternal glory would be given. During this period of time, man would have power over this world through intelligence and free will. But one power was withheld, the power to give himself immortality. This period of time on earth will be a time of purification, an antidote, a remedy for pride. It will require man to surrender in filial trust to God.
“From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but
from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said,
‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” The serpent said to
the woman, “You surely will not die! “For God knows that in the day you eat
from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and
evil.” Gen. 3:2
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God alone defines what is "TRUTH". By learning truth and shaping one's life according to it, pride is conquered. It is then that one can be entrusted with heavenly glory. Then, death is not a grave it is a portal that leads into the presence of God, and a sharing in his eternal glory.
But what human can match wits with such an intelligence as Satan? Will not everyone be corrupted and devoured in the graves of death? Is there at least one human capable of resisting the council of Satan. If that One should succeed, could he not help us to resist as well? The Cross of Jesus is that cosmic battle to rescue me out of Satan's grip of death and bring me home to the Father's house. What can I do? Choose who's side I'm on, who's ways will be my ways, who's council I will embrace.
Then Satan entered Judas Iscariot, who was one of the
Twelve. And Judas went to discuss with the chief priests and temple officers
how he might betray Jesus to them.
Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like
wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And
when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” “Lord,” said Peter, “I am
ready to go with You even to prison and to death.” But Jesus replied, “I tell
you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times
that you know Me.” Lk. 22:
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