THE WAR OF THE WORLDS
FCC 2-12-06
1. Today, we are going to examine the longest, bloodiest, most interesting war in the history of planet earth and how it affects us.
a) We will be reminded that Jesus is the Savior of the world promised from Genesis to Revelation.
b) We will learn just how much we matter to God and how much God has invested in our salvation.
2. These are aggressive goals.
a) And, we have approximately 25 minutes in which to accomplish them!
b) I think we need to begin in prayer…
3. Ephesians 6:12 says, For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12 New Living Translation (NLT)
a) Three buddies died in a car crash. When they went to heaven they are asked, "When you are in your casket and friends and family are around you, what would you like to hear them say about you?” The first guy said, "I would like to hear them say that I was a great doctor and a great family man." The second guy said, "I would like to hear that I was a wonderful husband and school teacher and I made a huge difference in our children of tomorrow." The last guy replied, "I would like to hear them say, "Look! He’s moving!"
b) A Marine Recruiter died and went to heaven. At the Pearly Gates, St. Peter told the recruiter that he would spend one day in heaven and one day in hell and then he could decide where he wants to spend eternity. Day one: Heaven. Clouds, harps, angels. It was nice, a little dull for his tastes though. Day two: Hell. The recruiter is greeted enthusiastically by dear-departed former recruiters who are dressed to the nines. The weather is pleasant, sunny and warm—but not too warm. The recruiters play a round of golf. They eat fabulous food. They go dancing. They meet devils who seem kind of nice. It is nothing like he imagined. The recruiter returned to the Pearly Gates. Peter asked where he wanted to spend eternity. The recruiter chose hell. When he returned to hell, his colleagues are now dressed in rags and picking up garbage. The place is blazing hot. The recruiter is stunned and asks a devil, “I don’t understand. This place is nothing like it was yesterday.” The devil answered, “Yesterday, we were recruiting you. Today you are staff.”
c) A young woman came home and told her mom that her boyfriend had proposed, but she had turned him down because she found out he was an atheist. He didn’t believe in Heaven or Hell. "Marry him anyway, honey. Between the two of us, we’ll show him just how wrong he is."
4. The Bible says mankind is locked in a battle between good and evil.
a) The Bible also says there is a literal heaven and hell, angels and demons, God and Satan.
b) Mankind instinctively knows and believes in God and the forces of evil.
c) There is too much evidence to be otherwise.
5. The Bible shows us that God waged war against Satan to crucify His Son Jesus.
a) I know that sounds like an odd statement.
b) But, God fought valiantly to crucify Jesus.
c) He did this because of His great love for us.
d) 5…he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 10Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, 11…my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. 12…he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:5, 10-12 New International Version (NIV)
6. In this battle of the ages we will see:
a) The dedication that God has to get us saved.
b) The amazing strategy God uses to ruin Satan’s attacks.
7. Satan is smart…but not all-knowing.
a) He doesn’t know the future.
b) He didn’t know God’s exact plans for saving mankind.
c) So, he waited…
he listened…
he pondered every Word from God—much more closely than any man ever did.
8. You see, Satan knew that God could not lie.
a) Therefore, when God promised that deliverance for mankind would come in such a way, it would have to be in that way or not at all!
b) Whenever God made a prophecy, Satan attacked the object of that prophecy.
9. At first, the prophecies of the defeat of Satan and the salvation of the human race were very vague.
a) But, with each succeeding prophecy, God’s plan became more specific.
b) Satan zeroed in on each succeeding prophecy trying to destroy God’s plan and emerge the victor in the WAR OF THE WORLDS…
I. MANKIND: GOD’S FIRST PROPHECY REVEALED THAT SATAN’S DEFEAT WILL COME THROUGH MANKIND
A. GOD GIVES A PROPHECY
1. [Turn to Genesis chapter 3 in your Bible] Three chapters into the beginning of the Bible, mankind sinned.
a) It didn’t take people very long to get into trouble!
b) You know the story in Genesis chapter 3.
c) 1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, ’You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?" 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 8Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" … 13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." 14 So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head..." Genesis 3 New International Version (NIV)
2. Satan was that serpent in the Garden of Eden.
a) The Bible often refers to Satan in his starring role as that ancient serpent.
b) The Apostle John explains, 9The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. Revelation 12:9 New International Version (NIV)
3. God made a prophecy to Adam and Eve of Satan’s destruction.
a) 15…I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head..."
b) All that Satan knew from God’s prophecy was that his destruction would somehow come through mankind.
B. SATAN STRIKES
1. What should Satan do to prevent his own destruction?
a) Since someone from mankind will crush his head, Satan decided he must destroy mankind.
b) Satan’s plan: Corrupt the human race so it would no longer be human.
2. A strange event happened in Genesis 6 (turn to this in your Bible).
a) Books have been written on what this text introduces and the rest of the Bible elaborates on.
b) Genesis 6:1-2 says, 1When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Genesis 6:1-2 New International Version (NIV)
c) “Sons of God” is a term used 100% of the time in the Old Testament referring to angels.
d) But, good angels do not marry.
e) Jesus said in Matthew 22:30 "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven."
3. Fallen angels and the daughters of men reproduced and had children the Bible calls “the Nephilim.”
a) In Hebrew, "Nephilim" means "fallen ones."
b) Genesis 6:4, 4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. Genesis 6:4 New International Version
4. The New Testament talks about this unholy union.
a) Jude 1:6-7 refers to fallen angels and sexual immorality: the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day… gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. Jude 1:6-7 New International Version (NIV)
5. Nephilim, translated into Greek as , gigantes, or ’giants’
a) They were renowned for their great capacity for sinfulness.
b) This unholy union produced a race half demon and half human.
6. The subject of the Nephilim is a complicated matter, and one of the greatest puzzles of the Bible.
a) The Nephilim show up several times in the Old Testament, always trying to destroy God’s people, Israel.
b) They tried to prevent Israel from entering the Promised Land—We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them." Numbers 13:33 New International Version (NIV)
c) The Bible says Goliath was over 9 feet tall and was one of these giants.
d) The Nephilim were probably the source of ancient Greek mythology. Giants in ancient lore are almost always depicted as being evil.
e) The very next verse, Genesis 6:5, alludes to the corruption that the Nephilim had caused amongst humans and themselves: "The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become..."
f) God immediately took radical steps to clean-house.
7. God sends the Flood!
a) Returning to our text in Genesis 6, The Message Translation puts it this way: This was back in the days (and also later) when there were giants in the land. The giants came from the union of the sons of God and the daughters of men. These were the mighty men of ancient lore, the famous ones. GOD saw that human evil was out of control. People thought evil, imagined evil--evil, evil, evil from morning to night. GOD was sorry that he had made the human race in the first place; it broke his heart…" But Noah was different. GOD liked what he saw in Noah. Genesis 6:4-8 The Message (MSG)
b) God’s flood wiped out this ½ human—½ demonic race and started again with Noah’s family…8 people in all.
c) 8 people were all that was left of the human race, all that stood between Satan and victory.
d) Several New Testament passages speak of Satan’s plan to destroy the human race through sinful fallen angels.
e) 2 Peter 2:4-5 says, …God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; …he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others… 2 Peter 2:4-5 New International Version (NIV)
8. We always look on the flood as God’s judgment.
a) But, the flood was also God’s tool to save mankind!
b) 1 Peter 3:20-21 says, …God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ… 1 Peter 3:20-21 New International Version (NIV)
Were Noah and his family, eight in all, saved through the flood waters?
Does this water symbolize baptism?
Does baptism save us also?
c) If there had been no flood, Christ couldn’t have come to save us!
C. GOD WINS!
1. God rescues mankind!
a) A narrower prophecy for the destruction of Satan is given.
b) Satan, your defeat will come through…
II. A NATION: SATAN’S DEFEAT WILL COME THROUGH ONE NATION
A. GOD GIVES ANOTHER PROPHECY
1. Many prophecies are given concerning Abraham.
a) In Genesis 12:1-3, The LORD had said to Abram… "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you…all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." Genesis 12:1-3 New International Version (NIV)
b) God’s blessings will come through the nation of Abraham!
B. SATAN STRIKES!
1. This information sets Satan on his next plan of attack!
a) Destroy the nation of Abraham and he will destroy the one who will crush his head and destroy him.
b) The nation of Abraham (Israel) has always been under attack with the intention of absolute annihilation.
c) God has rescued Israel.
2. In Bible times, Satan made at least two attempts to wipe out the nation of Abraham.
a) Once through famine.
While they numbered less than 70 people, Satan brought a deadly famine with the intent of wiping them out completely.
But God provided Joseph to be in just the right spot—at just the right time to meet the needs of the nation of Abraham.
b) Once through murder of the sons of Israel.
Exodus 1:8 says, Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. Exodus 1:8 New International Version (NIV)
The king’s order: Whenever a newborn son comes to an Israelite, kill it.
3. God’s response:
a) Moses.
b) Moses power was not of man, but of God
…10 plagues,
the miracle of the crossing of the Red Sea.
c) Those miracles saved the nation of Abraham and ultimately saved us too!
C. GOD WINS!
1. Satan will be crushed by
1) Someone from Mankind,
2) Someone from one particular Nation,
3) A narrower prophecy for the destruction of Satan is given…
4) Satan’s destroyer will come from…
III. A FAMILY: SATAN’S DEFEAT WILL COME THROUGH ONE FAMILY
A. GOD GIVES ANOTHER PROPHECY
1. Christ is constantly called “The Son of David.”
a) The children of Israel understood the Messiah was to come through the family of David.
b) Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. Isaiah 9:7 New International Version (NIV)
B. SATAN STRIKES!
1. 2 Chronicles 21:4 talks about the descendants of David, When Jehoram established himself firmly over his father’s kingdom, he put all his brothers to the sword along with some of the princes of Israel…Nevertheless, because of the covenant the LORD had made with David, the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David. He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants forever. 2 Chronicles 21:4 and 7 New International Version (NIV)
a) King Jehoshaphat, a descendant of David, died.
b) His son, Jehoram did evil in the eyes of the Lord.
c) In order to secure his throne, Jehoram killed “all his brothers” then he died.
d) Only his youngest brother survived…the final heir of the family of David.
2. 2 Chronicles 21:17 says, They attacked Judah, invaded it and carried off all the goods found in the king’s palace, together with his sons and wives. Not a son was left to him except Ahaziah, the youngest. 2 Chronicles 21:17 New International Version (NIV)
a) Arabians attacked and killed everyone except one—Ahaziah.
b) Again, the family of David was reduced to one man.
3. 2 Chronicles 22:10, When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family of the house of Judah. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered and put him and his nurse in a bedroom…she hid the child from Athaliah so she could not kill him. He remained hidden with them at the temple of God for six years while Athaliah ruled the land. 2 Chronicles 22:10-12 New International Version (NIV)
a) Ahaziah grew up, had children and then died. His mother, Athaliah set herself up to be Queen.
b) To secure her reign, she killed all of her grandchildren.
c) All, except a one year old baby named Joash.
d) Again, Satan succeeded in destroying all of David’s family line…all but one baby!
e) God protected our salvation by saving this baby boy…
C. GOD WINS!
1. Satan will be crushed by
1) Someone from Mankind,
2) Someone from one particular Nation,
3) Someone from the family of David.
4) A narrower prophecy for the destruction of Satan is given…
IV. SATAN’S DEFEAT WILL COME THROUGH A PARTICULAR PLACE AND A PERSON
A. GOD GIVES A PROPHECY
1. The place is revealed:
a) 2"But you, Bethlehem…though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. " Micah 5:2 New International Version (NIV)
b) God revealed through His prophet Micah, where Satan’s destruction would be born…Bethlehem.
2. Who would be the Savior?
a) God gave Satan three clues.
He will be ruler over Israel (the King of the Jews)
whose origins are from of old (not originating from man)
and, (not just old, but) from ancient times
3. When Satan heard the words of God’s prophecy, he shook!
a) Satan knows the Bible.
b) Key words like
ancient,
origins from old,
ruler over Israel…
set off alarm bells in Satan and throughout Satan’s kingdom.
4. With dread Satan remembered the vision of Daniel,
"As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened… "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 New International Version (NIV)
5. Satan waited, and stewed, and schemed.
a) For 750 years after Micah’s prophecy, Satan waited for a virgin to give birth…in Bethlehem.
b) The day finally arrived when the angels sang and the hordes of hell cursed.
c) And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord… Luke 2:8-14 (New International Version)
d) The Messiah has arrived!
6. And a specific name is finally given:
a) In Matthew 1:21 an angel announced these long awaited words: 21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." 22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Matthew 1:21-22 New International Version (NIV)
b) Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11 (New International Version)
c) YESSSSS!!!
d) Take that, Satan!
B. SATAN STRIKES!
1. Satan desperately needs to keep Jesus away from the Cross.
a) He didn’t want Jesus to die on the Cross for our sins.
b) He didn’t want the prophecies of his own destruction to be fulfilled.
2. Satan repeatedly tried to kill Jesus before he could reach the cross.
a) Through Herod—He had all babies in Bethlehem two and under killed (Matthew 2:13)… Jesus escaped to Egypt.
b) Satan attempts to make Christ unsuitable by tempting him into sin in the wilderness (Luke 4).
c) A crowd—in Nazareth tried to push Jesus off a cliff. 28All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. 29They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. 30But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way. Luke 4: New International Version (NIV)
d) A crowd—in Jerusalem tried to stone him. 59At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. John 8:59 New International Version (NIV)
e) And again in Jerusalem—a crowd tried to stone him. 39Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. John 10:39 New International Version (NIV)
f) A close friend, Peter—tried to talk him out of going to die in Jerusalem. 23Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Matthew 16:22-24 (New International Version)
g) Then, there was the struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane where God sent an angel to minister to Jesus to give him the strength to go to the cross.
C. GOD WINS!
1. 12…he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:12 New International Version (NIV)
2. Satan is constantly defeated by God.
a) Satan tried unsuccessfully to destroy mankind,
b) The nation of Abraham,
c) The family of David,
d) And the Deliverer, Jesus Christ.
3. The battle isn’t completely over yet.
a) John, in the last book of the Bible writes, 17Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. Revelation 12:17 New International Version (NIV)
b) Satan’s final quest is for you and me.
4. The Apostle Paul made another prophecy that Satan will not ignore.
a) In Romans 16:20 he writes, The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Romans 16:20 New Living Translation (NLT)
b) Satan’s doom will end with Christians.
c) We are Satan’s final battle.
5. This brings the battle to us here and now…
a) …how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. Hebrews 2:3-4 New International Version (NIV)
b) If we ignore this great gift of salvation offered to us through Jesus Christ, we will not escape hell.
