What if I told you that insane conspiracy theories about a dark World Order of demons running the government have their roots in the Bible?
George Washington said that "the administration of Justice is the firmest pillar of government."
This principle, of course, stems from preventative justice. But it is a small step from there to vengeance- justice which serves no practical purpose.
As a Monster of Justice, it's only natural that Satan would be drawn towards city-states and, later, vast empires. The first government we know of was Nimrod's Babel! Both that accursed tower and its successor Babylon the Great are deeply connected to the Evil One.
Satan is the Prince of the Powers of the Air (Ephesians 2:2). He's the Archon of Demons whose kingdom is Gehenna.* John 12:31 calls him "The Prince of this World" and Paul takes it a step further, calling him "the God of this World" in 2 Corinthians 4:4!
*Matthew 12:24-28, 12:24, Mark 3:22, Luke 11:15, Revelation 9:11
Even 'Beelzebub' has tyrannical implications- 'Lord of the Flies,' not president of the ladybugs.
If you've read my Watcher post, you know that all the fallen angels were allotted an earthly nation after the Tower of Babel. Third Enoch depicts the Prince of Rome as Satan's right-hand man, under his direct control.
"Every day Satan sits with Sammael, Prince of Rome, and with Dubbiel, Prince of Persia, and they write down the sins of Israel on tablets and give them to the Seraphim to bring them before the Holy One, blessed be he, so that he should destroy Israel from the world." (3 Enoch 26:12)
Believe it or not, this same narrative appears in the Bible!
When tempting Jesus in the wilderness, Satan "led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world... 'I will give you all their authority and splendor. It has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.' (Luke 4:5-7)
In Revelation 14, the Dragon Satan is cast from the Divine Council (after Christ's ascension) and gives his personal authority and power to the seven-headed Beast from the Sea. This beast represents Rome- the seven heads are the seven hills on which Romulus built the accursed polis.
"The Dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.... The whole world was filled with wonder... they also worshiped the beast and asked, 'Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?'” (Revelation 13:2-4)
The beast which comes out of the earth and exercised Rome's authority on the Archon's behalf (Revelation 13:12) is a symbol of Emperor Nero.
He makes all the peoples of the earth worship Rome and is described by the number 666 because the Jewish letters meaning 'Nero Ceasar' have a numerical value of 666- as does the word 'beast.'
Oppressive and cruel emperors like Nero are in the spiritual influence of the demonic Archons of their respective nations- who in turn are ruled by the great Chaos Dragon, Ha-Satan Belial, the animating power behind the greed and pride of imperialism and tyranny.
This dark spiritual influence is pictured as a beast in Daniel, which turns human thrones and powers into inhuman monsters, corrupt and clawing for power. This is shown quite literally and graphically in the life of Nebuchadnezzar, who literally goes insane and lives as an animal until he learns his lesson about pride.
This spirit of pride and tyranny started all the way back with Satan and his second-wave Watchers at the Tower of Babel. Nimrod was the first to succumb, but conqueror after conqueror, ruler after ruler has followed his example.
Adam and Eve's desire to "be like gods" (Genesis 3:5) is deep in the human race, and as Satan is wont, he turns it right back on us. His temptations are traps, his kingdoms are hells upon earth and his puppet kings are cast aside to judgment in the Underworld when he's finished with them. The Rephaim and the King of Babylon could tell you this (Isaiah 14).
Revelation 17 crafts the most striking symbol of this eon-spanning Kingdom of Satan as Babylon the Great, Mother of Prostitutes. She rides on the Seven-Headed One himself, and "commits fornication with all the kings of the earth."
Not a few, not just the really bad ones- All. No human ruler is exempt.
The Leviathan of Hobbes was aptly named indeed.
This whole system of powers and authorities wages war upon the Kingdom of the Lamb. They will ultimately be defeated, but not in a massive war or the creation of a yet-more-oppressive kingdom of Christ.
Jesus is winning already, not by war (at least, not primarily) but by saving a few select prisoners from every nation. He redeems them and they become part of his kingdom, which will never fall.
He defeats his enemies by loving them, not by tyranny and conquest. He gains the crowns of all the nations and takes the throne of the world (Revelation 19:12). What Satan offered him through pride, Jesus gained through humility.
Jesus taught this truth on a much smaller scale when he washed his disciples' feet.
"Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10-43-45)
In the end, the 'ten horns' of the beast turn on Babylon the Great and eat her alive (Revelation 17:16-17). These evil powers turn on each other, struggle for power, kill, betray and murder themselves into ruin.
Satan's world system may seem to bring peace and power, but it's ultimately built on fear and lies.
True peace and power comes only through sacrifice.
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