What is Christianity Wiki

Jump to: navigation, search

The Age of Reconciliation 7

The Age of Reconciliation 7

Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time. (Daniel 11:35—NIV)

Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. (Luke 22:31—NIV)

God gives authority and power to Satan in order to develop the character of Christ in the saints. Satan uses people to hinder the saints as they press toward the crown of life. It is necessary that stumbling blocks and testings be set before the believers, but woe to that person through whom the testings come!

It is particularly important that the saints learn to obey God in every detail of their existence. Righteous character and obedience to God can be perfected only in the earth as the saints struggle against the abominations and temptations to evil presented by Satan. We notice that Christ, the Logos from eternity, learned obedience while living on the earth.

Another reason God gives authority and power to Satan is that sin may come to fullness. God puts heat on the boil of sin until the boil is ready to be lanced.

God covers the sin of the righteous until He is ready to remove the sin. Then God causes the sin to be exposed so it may be destroyed out of the believer.

Notice, in the following verses, how God gives authority and power to Satan.

And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (Daniel 7:25)

The saints are given into the hand of the enemy until God sees they are worthy of the Kingdom of God.

Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: (II Thessalonians 1:5)

And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. (Daniel 12:7)

"Scatter [shatter] the power of the holy people [the saints]."

And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. (Revelation 11:7)

It is the Holy Spirit in the saints who prevents the full revelation of Antichrist. When God permits the witness of the saints to be overcome, Antichrist will be free to express fully in the earth the personality of Satan and the folly of obeying Satan.

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [hinders] will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: (II Thessalonians 2:7,8)

And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. (Revelation 13:6,7)

Continued.The Age of Reconciliation 8