Who Made Satan Ruler?
In 1998, someone sang Who Let the Dogs Out? for the first time. This was in
Trinidad & Tobago; the “dogs” were undesirable people of some sort. Really,
an insult to dogs.
Now this: Who let Satan out? Or more correctly, who banished him (Lucifer) to earth along with a host of evil spirits? ... God, of course.
Different question: Who made Satan ruler over the earth? He accuses us day and night (Rev. 12:10). Woe to the earth; the devil is furious.
Jesus referred to him three times as the “prince
of this world” in John’s gospel. Why would the Son of God say that Satan is prince
of the world that his Father created? John, in his first letter, acknowledged
that Satan dominates the world. He patrols, enslaves and makes captive
everyone he can.
Ezekiel (chapter 22) lists a "conspiracy of princes" worse than dogs: lions and wolves – tearing, devouring, stealing,
profaning, blinding, shedding blood, oppressing, lying etc.
Who made Satan ruler? He didn’t rule Adam and Eve until they fell for his lies. And the rest of us have fallen
short of righteousness ever since. How can we possibly escape?
Jesus drove out demons by the Spirit
of God (Matthew 12:28), inviting his listeners to believe in him and accept his terms for salvation. Then he died on the cross to bear our punishment, and with mercy offers freedom from spiritual darkness.
How do we respond? We believe by
faith in the blood. We confess our sin and invite God into our spiritual
hearts. We participate in spiritual warfare with help of the Spirit of God
(see Ephesians 6:11). We pray that God will continue to deliver us from evil (Matthew
6:13).
Peter, who personally witnessed
Christ’s sufferings and his resurrection as well, warns, urges, exhorts us to have self-control,
stay alert, resist the devil and be firm in faith, even while suffering.
Who let the “dogs” out, the men who pierced Jesus’ hands and feet? (see Psalm 22:16).
Jimmy
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