The Conflict of the Ages
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
We believe we have given this sermon the correct name because the conflict which has come down through all the previous ages, which is now waging, and which will reach a final onslaught during the period of tribulation, is the conflict of Satan against the saints.
No sooner were Adam and Eve safely housed in the Garden of Eden than the enemy began to wage a battle against them even against God's supreme creation. We all know the story of how they were seduced, and fell victims of the great enemy.
Not long after the expulsion, Cain was possessed of Satan, as he slew his brother, Abel. Step by step from those primeval days down to the flood, a period which covered more than one thousand years, Satan enlarged his conquest over the human race until, at last, with man almost universally under his power, God sent the deluge to destroy man from the earth.
Noah and his family alone were saved in the ark.
After the flood, and until the days of Christ, Satan's conflict centered first against Noah, then against Abraham, and Abraham's seed, national Israel. As time progressed Satan particularly focused his efforts against the kingly line which ran from David down through Solomon to Mary, the mother of Jesus.
In a former sermon we studied Satan's strategies against the Seed of the woman who was the Son of God. Today it is our desire to emphasize that phase of Satan's warfare, the conflict of the ages which centered itself against the Church of God.
In fighting the Church Satan has his only present hour method of fighting against Christ. The Church, beloved of God, is the Body of Christ. To fight the ones beloved, is to fight the One who loves. A conflict against the body is a conflict against the head.
The world of today mocks the fact of Satan. They tell us that the devil is no more than the fancy of a disjointed brain. We, however, who know God, and know His Word, know of the personality of Satan. Jesus Christ, during His earthly life, was not fighting an imaginary enemy, but a real, living, and powerful foe.
The one who resisted Paul, Peter, the Apostles, and all of the saints through the ages has been a personal enemy. To be sure we recognize that the personal devil, of whom we have just spoken, is localized, and can, individually attack but few.
Satan, however, can, and does, martial innumerable hosts of fallen angels and demons in his conflict.
We often have heard the expression that Dewey sank the Spanish Armada in the waters of the Philippines. As it was, Dewey never fired a gun. He merely stood in his flagship and gave orders, directing the conflict.
Satan, himself, is a Dewey, the captain-general of his armies. He is the director of hosts. However, it is correct to say that he is the enemy of the individual saint, and of the Church, because he, through his emissaries, is constantly going about seeking whom he may devour.
I. SATAN'S STRATEGIES AGAINST THE EARLY CHURCH (Acts 4:16-19)
The Church was born upon its knees, baptized in the Holy Ghost the day it was born.
The message of that first great and notable day is known by us all as Peter's Pentecostal sermon.
The whole world seemed turned upside down as a result of that one great speech.
Thousands were present in Jerusalem Jews and proselytes from every nation under Heaven, They that gladly received Peter's word were baptized, and "the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls,"
To these, the first saints of the present dispensation, God gave untold victory and power. They continued stedfastly in the faith, praising God and having favor with all the people. Thus their numbers increased daily until there were more than five thousand believers.
Satan could not see this marvelous march of victory without being disturbed. He immediately began to set himself to disrupt the Church. His first great stroke was to enrage the scribes and the Pharisees against the saints. Thus it was that they drew Peter and John before the council, and commanded them that they should not speak at all, or preach in the Name of the Lord Jesus.
This stroke of Satan was absolutely useless. The disciples said, "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." Thus, "with great power gave the Apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all."
Satan soon discovered that persecution cannot stay the power of the Gospel nor kill the spirit and ardor of saints.
II. SATAN'S SECOND ATTACK AGAINST THE CHURCH (Acts 5:3)
Among the saints in Jerusalem there was a certain man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira. They owned a certain possession which they sold, professing to lay the proceeds at the feet of the Apostles. However, the two connived together, and privately kept back part of the price of the land.
When Ananias came with his offering, Peter immediately said, "Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God."
As Ananias heard these words he fell down and gave up the ghost. His wife came in three hours later, and not knowing what had happened, she told Peter that they had sold the land for the amount which they had brought as an offering to God.
Peter said, "Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much."
Then Peter said unto her, "How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out."
Thus it was that Satan's effort to spoil the integrity of the saints was used of God to place the fear of the Lord upon the whole Church.
As we think of Satan's strategy in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, we cannot but marvel that the same spirit dominates many saints of today. This is not accomplished merely in the realm of our free-will offerings and gifts to the Lord, but also in the lack of yielded lives. There are many who profess to follow the Lord fully, and yet they are retaining much space in their hearts and lives for the world. They are, so to speak, keeping back a part of the land.
III. SATAN AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)
Satan never comes out in the open displaying his real self when he tempts saints. He approaches them as apostles and workers, and not as false apostles and deceitful workers. He, himself, is transformed into an angel of light; it is no great thing therefore if his ministers, also, be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
Satan in his heart is a wolf, but in his outward manifestations he appears as a sheep. He parades himself as a religious enthusiast, although he is a hater of Jesus Christ.
He delights in bearing the name of an "apostle," although he knows that he is an "apostate."
He delights in robing himself as a "church worker," when, in truth, he is moving among the saints as a "deceitful spy," seeking to undo everything that the saints would accomplish.
Satan and his emissaries find no greater pleasure than in preaching from orthodox pulpits. They deceive the people with their flattery, as they paint word pictures of world righteousness, and human progress. They even proclaim righteousness, but a righteousness apart from faith and the Cross.
We remember the parable of Christ concerning the sower who sowed the good seed, and the enemy who sowed the tares. It was only in the harvests that the true and the false could be detected. Members of churches are paying for the support of men, and even applauding the preaching of men who deny every vital of the faith. These men cover their infidelities with high-sounding phrases which would, if possible, deceive the very elect.
Let us beware of this strategy of Satan, for an enemy once permitted within the camp is far more dangerous than an enemy outside of the walls.
IV. SATAN'S STRATEGIES IN THE LAST DAYS (1 Timothy 4:1)
All down through the centuries Satan has wrought against the saints. As time has rolled by he has tried various strategies. He has put forth every wicked wile against the Church, and yet the True Church still lives, and proclaims the message of Truth.
We, however, who live in the last days should be very careful to observe the particular methods which Satan uses against the end-time saints.
Of these strategies the Spirit speaks expressly, saying, "In the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth." If this is a message spoken "expressly," we need to consider it carefully.
People today are being carried off their feet by the doctrines of demons. They give heed to the seducing spirits who promulgate these doctrines. How often do we see professed believers, and perhaps actual saints, swept away by some power of the occults. Spirits are working, yes, they are real spirits but are not many the spirits of demons?
Fallen angels and demons may, and sometimes do, impersonate deceased men and women, and they cunningly parade themselves as the departed. Not only in this, but in many other ways, are the doctrines of demons afloat in the air. We need to cling to the Bible, and have all assurance of faith lest we, too, are carried away by these deceptions.
V. SATAN'S DELUSIONS IN THE LAST DAYS (2 Thessalonians 2:9-11)
As the age wears on Satan becomes more and more subtle in his delusions. Perhaps he was the one who suggested to an outstanding comic publisher, "What fools these mortals be." It often seems that the public likes to be fooled.
One thing that we know, Satan is already working with all power, and signs, and lying wonders. These deceptions will greatly increase with the coming of the antichrist and the Rapture of the Church. The antichrist will work marvelous feats in the last days.
Satan has always been a counterfeiter; whatever God has done, he has tried to do something like it. If God has a Church, so also will Satan have a church. We read of "the synagogue of Satan." If God has ministers, so also do we read of the "ministers of Satan." If God's ministers preach righteousness, so also do Satan's ministers parade themselves as preachers of righteousness. If God's ministers work miracles, signs, and wonders, so also will Satan and his ministers startle the world with the same, as far as they are able. In the days of Moses, whenever he and Aaron wrought miracles before Pharaoh, thus did the magicians of Egypt endeavor to do.
May God grant unto us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, that we may be able to detect the false, and discern the true.
Thousands will fall under the marvelous power of the coming satanic trinity the devil, the antichrist and the false prophet. The whole world will be amazed and wonder at the power of the beast. It will seem that nothing is impossible to him.
He will cause the image of the beast to speak. He will startle men with the miraculous and hold them with the power of a popularized potentate. No man, in those days, will survive unless he bears the image of the beast, and wears the number of his name.
VI. SATAN'S STRATEGIES FOLLOWING THE RAPTURE OF THE SAINTS (Revelation 12:12)
Let us go a little deeper into some things suggested by the last Scripture. When the Lord Jesus Christ comes down through the air, and the saints are caught up to meet Him, Satan, himself, will then be cast down to the earth. This "casting down" is described in the Book of Revelation as a war in Heaven. Then comes the statement of our text: "The devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."
The Rapture of the Church does not mean that Satan will have no place to ply his trade against saints. God's chosen race, the people of Israel, will still be upon the earth. In addition, following the Rapture multitudes will be saved. These will come from every nation of the earth. Against the Jews, therefore, and against any who dare to profess their faith in Christ, Satan will press his battle.
In fact, during these few years which make up the tribulation period Satan will exercise great wrath. He will redouble his efforts, and energy. The devilish trinity composed of himself, the antichrist, and the false prophet will bring under his sway the kings and the princes of the earth. He will cause every man to bear the mark and number of his name in their hands or in their foreheads.
Thus empowered by his two allies, and by the rulers of the earth and their armies will he set himself against God and God's chosen nation. If it were not for the fact that God sealed certain of the tribes of Israel and made them impervious to Satan's wiles, and to the further fact that a Jewish remnant will be carried into the wilderness where they will be Divinely succored during this period, few men would be saved.
VII. HOW TO MEET SATAN'S STRATEGIES (Ephesians 6:10)
God, knowing that the devil went about seeking whom he might devour, and knowing his power, gave command unto His saints, saying, "Take unto you the whole armour of God." Thank God, the saints are not now left unprotected from the wrath of the enemy. All of the power of God is granted unto saints: and the whole armor of God is theirs.
In Washington we saw in the museum the armor which the warriors of old used to wear. Their armor was not comparable to ours. Our helmet is the helmet of salvation; our girdle is the girdle of Truth. Righteousness is our breastplate. Peace shods our feet. The shield of faith, which we carry is able to challenge all of the devil's fiery darts. The Sword of the Spirit which we wield is sharper than any two-edged sword. Over all and above all of this marvelous armor, God has given us the privilege and power of prayer and supplication in the Spirit.
We need not fear, for victory will crown us in the way.
Jesus Christ when on earth met the devil and vanquished him. He now vouchsafes unto us His power and conquest. He leads us in the train of His triumph.
Our part is to hide ourselves in Him away from the reach of the enemy, and then, when we go forth from His presence to go clothed in His armor of Truth. To Satan God says, "So far shalt thou go, and no farther." We are secure from the strategies of the enemy, if we are sheltered under the wing of our God.
It would be folly, however, to underestimate the strength of our foe. It is far better to know his power, and to be panoplied against his devices. We serve a conquering Christ.
AN ILLUSTRATION
"Soldiers can take no chances with any possible enemy. During the war 'McClure's Magazine' told of a great reservation here in America where untold quantities of explosives were kept. As eight officers in charge were at supper one night a slight flicker in the electric lights occurred. Instantly every officer was on his feet and had vanished without a word. A few minutes later they had all come back and gone on eating their supper. Why? Because the electric light kept aflame the great flares between magazines by which the guard could see the slightest shadow cast by a moving figure and because the man in charge of that electric plant, though an American, had a German name. The eight officers had been tugging at red tape for sixty days to have him replaced by a native American. And until this was accomplished one of the eight would always be watching him and the remaining seven would spring into action at the slightest flicker of the electric lights. Are we Christians as sensitively alert to the peril of every flicker of temptation that comes our way from one who is worse than the worst of enemy spies, Satan?" Sunday School Times.