In his
revelatory vision, John saw a woman clothed with the sun about to give birth to
a child (Revelation 12:1,2). This woman represented the ecclesiastical Church
of Jesus Christ as we know it today. The child represented the kingdom of
Christ that will be established when He returns. This kingdom will have
ecclesiastical and political power over all the people of the earth. This is
called theocracy.
And this is
what we should note most of all. John says the dragon ‘stood before the woman
which was ready to be delivered, for to DEVOUR her child as soon as it was
born’ (12:4). This suggests only one thing. Satan is watching and waiting for
Christ’s return as eagerly as we are but with a different motive.
He seeks to
destroy the Kingdom of our Christ and therefore foil the Millenial plans. The
days this chapter of Revelation speaks of are the last days prior to Christ’s
coming and the vengeance that the devil will unleash on us, His followers, to
destroy Christ’s power.
I
once asked a scriptorian friend why Lucifer is called ‘a son of the morning’ (D&C
76:26; Isaiah 14:12; 2 Nephi 24:12). He answered that most likely Lucifer was
one of the first spirit children of God, born in the morning, as in the very
beginning.
He
also said something highly interesting. He said that Lucifer might even have
been second born, Christ being the first, and that He sought to usurp Jehovah’s
throne and inheritance of the firstborn, much like we see throughout earthly
history where the second born seeks to overthrow his brother for the crown.
This theory could be supported by Satan’s last-minute push to dethrone ‘the
Lamb who sits upon His throne’ at the end of the Millenium (D&C
88:111-115).
We
of the last hour before midnight, have a great duty to pave the way for the
Millenial reign. Satan is persistent, constant and consistent. Here are the
tools he uses to derail us:
HIS THREE DOCTRINES:
No punishment for sin
Nothing after death
He does not exist
HIS LIES THROUGH
RATIONALISATION:
Just once won’t hurt
No one will know
Everybody is doing it
HIS VALUE SYSTEM:
Selfishness
Self-indulgence
Immediate gratification
HIS SALES TECHNIQUES:
Pacifying
Flattering
Lulling
HIS GOAL:
To steal our spiritual
identity
To kill our faith in God
To destroy our commitment to
Christ
In the words of Terri Savelle Foy: Satan might be marching with his armies to
steal, kill and destroy but he does not have the power on his best day to take
you out on your worst day....the only power he has is what you give him.
- CATHRYNE ALLEN
(Art: Parting the Veil by John McNaughton)