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April 22, 2025

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End Times

Does the Bible teach Christians to look for signs the rapture is coming soon?

This present age of the world will end with the rapture of the church and a seven year period of severe natural disasters, war, and tyranny called the Tribulation. After the Tribulation, Jesus will return to the earth to begin His 1,000 year reign on the earth. Many Christians refer to the sequence of rapture, tribulation, and second coming as “the last days.” Some Christians fill their time searching for evidence Christ will return soon. Some believe the Bible instructs them to study the signs to know if the world is getting closer to the end.

The Bible gives no signs indicating when the rapture will occur, and the Bible does not command people to search the daily news to discover the signs of the times. However, in Matthew 24 Jesus describes events which will occur before His second coming. Those events include widespread war, persecution of believers, earthquakes, famines, wide spread plague, astronomic upheaval, and the installation of a despicable, polluting idol in the temple of God. In Matthew 24:33 Jesus said, “So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near– at the doors!” Undeniably, Jesus was teaching people to look for the signs which would appear before His second coming.

However, the only believers able to obey Jesus’ command are those who live during the Tribulation. Matthew 24 does not discuss the rapture, but the second coming of Jesus. The rapture is the sudden removal of all Christians from the earth. This event will happen “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” (1 Corinthians 15:52) The raptured saints will be lifted off the earth to meet Jesus “in the air.” (1 Thessalonians 4:17) At that time all Christians will ascend to Heaven with Jesus, and will return to Heaven with Jesus without Him setting foot on earth.

The second coming of Jesus is His descent to the earth to conquer. He will come down from Heaven to the Mount of Olives, defeat the armies of the anti-Christ, imprison Satan, establish of His 1,000 year kingdom, and physically rule the world from Jerusalem. This event will be preceded by seven years of signs like those described in Matthew 24 and Revelation 6-19. These signs will make it plain to all who have eyes to see that the Second Coming of Jesus is close. None can know the precise moment of Jesus’ second coming, but those who are faithful to Him will recognize the cataclysms of the Tribulation as the final woes before the return of Jesus.

The rapture and the second coming are separated by the seven year period of intense tribulation. Nothing foretold to occur during the Tribulation has to take place before the rapture. Therefore, the Bible gives no sign which allows the Christian today to conclude we are close to the rapture. Instead, the Bible tells Christians to stand guard, be persistent in prayer, and be faithful in holiness until the rapture.

Many Christians rightly identify situations in the world which resemble events which will also happen during the Tribulation. Many Christians see a resemblance between current international tensions and the international conflict during the Tribulation. The present troubles may be setting the stage for the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. They may not be. None will know until the prophecies are fulfilled. The Bible does not command Christians to identify the relative proximity of Christ’s return. The Bible commands Christians to be obedient to the Lord until He returns.

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April 15, 2025

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Satan, Spirits

What is the difference between Satan and demons?

After last week’s article a reader asked about the difference between Satan and the demons. Satan and demons are created beings. They belong to the same class of creature, but Satan is superior to the demons.

Satan is an angel. In Ezekiel 28:14 Lucifer, or Satan, is called the “anointed cherub.” A cherub is most likely a type of angel. Satan is also connected with the “sons of God” in Job 1:6. The sons of God in the book of Job are most likely angels. Angels are the only ones, aside from God, who saw the creation of the world. (Job 38:4-7) Second Corinthians 11:14 says Satan is able to transform “himself into an angel of light.” Though the Bible does not directly identify Satan as an angel, the evidence strongly suggests he is an angel who rebelled against God.

When Satan rebelled against God a large number of other angels sinned with him. (Revelation 12:4) The other angels which fell with Satan are referred to as “his angels.” (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 12:7, 9) The Bible also says Satan is the ruler of the demons. (Matthew 12:24) Therefore, the best conclusion from the Biblical evidence is demons are angels who sinned with Satan and are now under his authority.

Satan also wields authority over this earth. He is the “god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4) and “the prince of the power of the air.” (Ephesians 2:2) The Bible says little about the nature of Satan’s rule, except that it is genuine, malicious, and destructive. (1 Peter 5:8) Demons appear to possess some level authority over people (Mark 5:2-5) and nations. (Daniel 10:13)

Little is said in the Old Testament about Satan’s activity in the world. He tempted Eve to sin (Genesis 3:1-6; Revelation 12:9), made false accusations against Job (Job 1:9-10, 2:4-5), and opposed the high priest of Israel. (Zechariah 3:1) In the New Testament Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11), filled Judas so that he betrayed Jesus (John 13:27), and filled Ananias’ heart to lie to the Holy Spirit. (Acts 5:3) Satan’s primary activities today are making accusations against believers (Revelation 12:10) and roaming the earth seeking the destruction of men. (1 Peter 5:8)

People today have no way to distinguish between the direct working of Satan and the working of his demons. Satan is a creature possessed of great ability and intellect. However, he is not all knowing or able to be in multiple places at once. He is furiously active, but is always limited in his activity. Satan has many demons who do his will. His power and malice are felt in the world through the working of his subject demons.

Satan is powerful and has great authority, but he is a defeated enemy. His power is restrained (Matthew 12:28-29). He has been judged by Jesus at the cross. (John 12:31; 16:31) As Martin Luther wrote, “His doom is sure.” Consequently, Christians have no need to fear Satan. They can resist the Devil and he will flee from them. (James 4:7) Believers have been given full armor to stand victorious against all the attacks of Satan. (Ephesians 6:13-17)

Satan is a powerful angel who rebelled against God. When he rebelled, other angels followed him. Those fallen angels are demons under Satan’s rule. Satan is the chief enemy of God and of God’s people. He continually rages against God and man. Despite Satan’s vicious assaults, the Christian has been given by God all that is needed to stand firm against the Devil.

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April 7, 2025

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angels, Christian living, Satan

Can a person condemn or command Satan?

Recent conversations have raised an intriguing question. Can a person rebuke or damn Satan? Satan is a real being (Ephesians 6:11). He is a mighty angel who rebelled against God (Isaiah 14:13-14), was cast out of his position in Heaven (Ezekiel 28:16), rules an army of fallen angels (Matthew 12:24), exercises authority over the earth and humanity (2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2), and is bent on the destruction of mankind (1 Peter 5:8).

Because Satan is an angel, he is inherently greater in might and glory than any human (Psalm 8:5). As the prince of this world, Satan has genuine authority over the entire earth. Satan’s defeat has been assured by the death of Jesus on the cross (Matthew 12:28-29; Luke 10:18; John 12:31; 16:12). However, he still possesses substantial power over the earth. The might, power, and authority of Satan should make any person think carefully about how they address the Devil.

The book of Jude mentions a conflict between Satan and Michael, one of the chief angels of Heaven. Jude says false teachers “speak evil of dignitaries.” (Jude 1:8) He then contrasts the temerity of false teachers with the wisdom of the archangel Michael. He “dared not bring against (Satan) a reviling accusation, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’” Jude connects the false teacher’s slander of dignitaries with the dispute between Michael and Satan. This connection indicates the maligned dignitaries include angels, demons, and Satan. Jude’s point is clear. Those who teach Christians to speak evil of angelic creatures, including Satan, are false teachers. Since one of the greatest angels in Heaven dared not rebuke or condemn Satan, then no Christian should dare to revile the Devil.

In Matthew 16 Jesus granted Peter the authority to bind and loose. Some have interpreted that promise to include the authority to bind Satan. However, Jesus does not speak of Satan in that conversation. Jesus nowhere teaches that Christians have the power to bind Satan. The focus of Matthew 16:13-20 is the deity of Jesus and the establishment of the church. Jesus promises the gates of Hell will not prevail against the church, but He is not promising the power to bind Satan. He gives assurance the church will continue and will not be cut off by the assault of any power. This promise is defensive, not offensive. Christ will secure His church and it will stand. Jesus does not enable the church to storm Hell or equip Christians to engage Satan in hand to hand combat.

Matthew 18:18 also speaks of binding and loosing. Both Matthew 16 and Matthew 18 speak of binding and loosing as a function of the church. The authority to bind and loose was first granted to Peter (Matthew 16:19) and then to the church (Matthew 18:18). Matthew 18:18 is the only place in the New Testament which gives particulars about the function of binding and loosing. The authority to bind and loose is directly related to the church’s discipline of a sinning believer (Matthew 18:15-17). Binding and loosing is never spoken of in relation to Satan but in relation to others in the church. Jesus gave the church the authority to determine who is and is not a part of the congregation. He did not give anyone the authority to tell Satan to “hit the bricks.”

The New Testament gives believers clear instructions about the right response to Satan. The Bible does not instruct a Christian to rebuke Satan. Scripture does not include a single example of a Christian rebuking Satan. The Christian is not to command Satan, but to resist him (James 4:7, 1 Peter 5:8-9). The Christian is not to condemn Satan, but to stand firm against his attacks. (Ephesians 6:11-14). God promises the believer if he will resist the Devil, then Satan will flee. The Christian has no need for dramatic denunciations of the Devil. The believer who relies upon the power of God and remains steadfast in faithful obedience to God’s Word will be victorious over Satan because, “Greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)