Three Principalities
Principalities & Powers in Heavenly Places
[ Also Known As (aka): Rulers & Authorities in Heavenly Places ]
All fallen angel Principalities and Powers have one master - Satan. They all work to accomplish his goals and purposes. They have common strategies but are assigned specific areas of influence and ways of attacking mankind. Satan was a guardian cherub and all Principalities and Powers in heavenly places are archangels. Principalities having greater authority than Powers.
The following information is not about knowing Satan's deep dark secrets (Rev 2:24) - that would be inappropriate and wrong. This is about letting Scripture tell us how and where the enemy attacks us so we can be on our guard against his schemes (2 Cor 2:10-11; Eph 5:11; Eph 6:11-12).
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers [aka principalities], against the authorities [aka powers], against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12 ESV)
For by him [Jesus] all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. (Colossians 1:16 ESV)
In Colossians 1:16 Paul lists the four main orders of heavenly beings who were created by God through Christ: thrones, dominions, principalities [rulerships] and powers [authorities]. In Ephesians 6:12 the two highest orders that Paul mentions as having joined in Satan’s rebellion are rulerships and authorities. This indicates that neither thrones nor dominions were enticed by Satan into joining in his rebellion. Derek Prince, "Because of the Angels - Warfare in Heavenly Places - TL00-2," Derek Prince Ministries, last modified Unknown, https://www.derekprince.org/Publisher/File.aspx?id=1000021498
8 When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided up humankind, he set the boundaries of the peoples, according to the number of the heavenly assembly.
9 For the Lord’s allotment is his people, Jacob is his special possession. (Deuteronomy 32:8-9 NET)8 When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.
9 But the Lord's portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage. (Deuteronomy 32:8-9 ESV)
The most dramatic instance of [divine] council members participating in God's governance of the world is associated with judgment. According to Deuteronomy 32:8-9 [see above], members of the heavenly host were assigned as administrators of the nations.
We learn from Genesis 11:1-9 that humanity was divided up into the nations at the Tower of Babel event. Yahweh's division of humanity into the nations listed in Genesis 10, which descended from Noah's sons after the flood, was a punitive act. God had decided to put his relationship with humanity as a whole on hiatus. After the nations were divided and allotted to lesser divine beings ("sons of God") [rulers (principalities) & authorities (powers)], God called Abraham to form a new people - his "inheritance" as described in Deuteronomy 32:9. Through this new people, God planned to bless the nations in the future (Gen 12:3; cf. Acts 17:26).
Deuteronomy 32:8-9 is foundational for understanding the remainder of the Old Testament. As Miller notes of the passage, "The order of nations is rooted in the order of heaven." Though readers are given no timeline, eventually the sons of God charged with the task turn adversarial, seducing the Israelites into idolatry (Deut 32:17) and abusing their populations (Ps 82:1-5). God's response is to pronounce their eschatological deaths at the day of the Lord (Ps 82:6-8; Isa 24:21; 34:1-4).
Dr. Michael S. Heiser, Angels. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2018), 45-46. [emphasis added by webmaster]
The Devil's Counterfeit Trinity for God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit
For examples of how the Three Principalities presented themselves to ancient near eastern cultures [Click Here]
The Three Major Principalities
Queen of Heaven
Over Peoples Multitudes Nations Languages
1 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute [aka Jezebel spirit, Queen of Heaven], who sits by many waters.
15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.(Rev 17:1,15 ESV)
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues;
5 for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
6 Pay her back as she herself has paid back others, and repay her double for her deeds; mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed.
7 As she glorified herself and lived in luxury, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning, since in her heart she says,
‘I sit as a queen,
I am no widow, and mourning I shall never see.’ (Rev 18:4-7 ESV)
Death & Hell
Over All Peoples and Over All Nations
7 And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. 8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. (Isa 25:7-8 ESV)
24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule [principalities] and every authority [powers] and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Cor 15:24-26 ESV)
8 And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades [aka Hell] followed him. (Rev 6:8 ESV)
The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23)
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. (Heb 2:14-15 ESV)
Antichrist
Over Every Tribe People Language Nation
1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. 2 And the beast [the antichrist] that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. 7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation (Rev 13:1-8 ESV)
22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. (1 John 2:22 ESV)
2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. (1 John 4:2-3 ESV)
7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. (2 John 1:7 ESV)
Queen Characteristics[1]
or click on Titles
- Defined as the worship of false gods through idolatry
- Associated with greed, wantonness (Luke 11:39) (Col 3:5)
- Those who practice it put their trust in it (Isa 47:10)
- It is an active evil against the truth (Rom 1:18)
- Association with idols represents a spirit of harlotry (Hos 4:12)
- The mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth (Rev 17:5)
- Originated in mother-child religions of the nations surrounding Israel - actually all the nations of the earth
- Male and female prostitutes associated with Baal worship (Gen 38:15) (Deut 23:17-18) (1 Kings 14:24) (1 Kings 22:46) (1 Kings 23:7) (Joel 3:3)
- Through Christ we may be saved out of this (1 Cor 6:9-11)
- Insatiable (Ezek 16:26-29) (Ezek 23)
- Prostitute's "brazen" face is devil's counterfeit for the prophet's bronze wall (Prov 7:13) (Jer 3:3)
- Foolish and without moral standards (Prov 9:13-17)
- May be religious through ritual (Prov 7:14)
- Spirit of harlotry creates unhealthy boyfriend-girlfriend dynamics between husbands and wives
- Sexual flaunting and manipulations
- Wife taking on the role of a mother towards the husband who acts like a boy
- Our evil deeds cause us to prefer darkness (John 3:19-20) rather than to walk in the light (1 John 1:7) and expose evil (Eph 5:11)
- Ezekiel's vision of elders hiding in mother-child religion practices (Ezek 8:7-12)
- Mystery (Rev 17:5) encourages use of divination to gain knowledge by means forbidden by God
- The word "occult" means hidden
- Queen says "No one sees me" (Isa 47:10) - her workings in our lives is hidden
- Associated with night-mare, night-witch experiences
- Often associated with various imagery of birds
- "I am and there is none besides me." (Isa 47:8-10)
- Overweening pride and conceit (Isa 16:6) (Jer 48:29)
- Arrogance (Ezek 16:49) and pride (Ezek 16:56)
- Idolatry and witchcraft closely related (Gal 5:20) (Micah 5:12)
- Human queen Jezebel practiced witchcraft (2 Kings 9:22)
- Boy king Manasseh practiced witchcraft (2 Chron 33:6)
- Lord accuses queen of Babylon of "many sorceries" and "potent spells" (Isa 47:9)
- Lord called Assyria "the mistress of sorceries..." (Nahum 3:4)
- Where fatherhood fails judgment is "children will govern" (Isa 3:4) and women will rule (Isa 3:12)
- In matriarchal home or society children are sacrificed
- Probably worst source of witchcraft within the home is the tongue and by it:
- men are castrated
- women are made worthless
- children are kept children and kept from God, life and responsibility
- Most marriages can't even get off on the right footing because the boyfriend-girlfriend dynamic of the queen mother is instituted through premarital sex or other guilts
- God gives belonging through the Holy Spirit's work of adoption (Rom 8:15)
- The queen emphasizes natural relationships
- Blood thicker than water
- "I will always love you no matter what you do"
- Since Adam's family is under death (Rom 5:14) true brotherhood only comes though Christ (Heb 2:11)
- Fellowship is living without sin (1 John 1:6-7)
- Queen boasts "I will never be a widow or suffer loss of children" (Isa 47:8) (Rev 18:7)
- Church: members may commit any sin and still remain members without being forgiven and restored in biblical ways
- Home: children may commit any kind of sin including murder and sodomy but they will always remain children
- God the Father maintains fellowship by:
- Disciplining for sin (Heb 12:6)
- Excommunicating those who refuse discipline (1 Cor 5)
- Security with God means maintaining covenant obligations with Him
- God taunts the queen to continue with her magic spells and sorceries: "Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror" (Isa 47:12)
- Terror is paralyzing fear
- Queen knows how to make threats: Jezebel's threat to Elijah (1 Kings 19:2)
- Queen brings fear then offers to protect from that which we fear
- Kingdoms surrounding Israel - Egypt, Assyria, Tyre and Babylon - were lands of merchants (Nahum 3:16) (Ezek 16:29) (Isa 23:2)
- Israel was an agricultural nation
- Most trade routes of significance passed through Israel
- When Israel was right with God the other nation's trade suffered
- When God punished Israel Tyre, known for their vast ocean trading network, said "Aha! The gate to the nations is broken, and the doors have swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will prosper" (Eze 26:2)
- The Queen creates a standard of "fashion" which is generally promiscuous and changes every year
- Merchandising is a thin cover up for greed, which scripture declares is idolatry (Col 3:5)
- Evil merchants often use false weight and measures which God detests (Prov 20:23)
Death & Hell Characteristics[2]
or click on Titles
- Sting of death is sin and all have sinned (1 Cor 15:56) (Rom 3:23)
- Unrepentant sin becomes full grown and gives birth to death (Jam 1:15)
- The wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23)
- Without God's help everyone will be caught by the snare or cords of death (Psalm 18:4-5)
- Some sins require the death penalty (Lev 18:29)
- The tongue has the power of life and death (Prov 18:21)
- The guilt of sin is a very powerful bondage
- Guilt itself is often a demon disguising itself as a false god
- god of sin and death
- very religious
- copies Old Testament law
- Continuing sin makes a reservation in hell for the sinner as the spirit of death will be followed by the spirit of hell (Jude 1:7,13)
- As Hades will follow physical death, the spirit of hell will follow the spirit of death
- The spirit of hell follows the spiritual truth that guilt demands punishment, except that hell never says "Enough!" (Prov 30:16)
- Example of the tongue
- a restless evil, full of deadly poison (Jam 3:8)
- this poison kills and after death comes torment
- it is a fire, corrupts the whole person, sets course of life on fire (James 3:6)
- warning to avoid controversies which lead to more ungodliness (2 Tim 2:16)
- The torment of hell is like the torment of a demon - severe and never gives up (1 Sam 16:14) (Acts 5:16)
- Like tossing sea that cannot rest, no peace (Isa 57:20-21)
- Hell as part of Hades (grave) or Gehenna (lake of fire) is a spiritual prison for its victims
- Prison may feel like a shelter or refuge until one finds he can't get out
- Bondage by demons is designed to keep the captive from coming to the Kingdom of God
- Description in Psalms (Psalm 107:10-12, 17-18)
- God's reason for allowing the prison
- Punishment for sin
- God wants us to cry out to Him for deliverance (Psalm 107:13,19)
- Implication for the church
- unsaved world is in a spiritual prison
- unsaved can't respond effectively to the Good News until they are rescued
- can't enter strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man (Mt 12:29)
- God's kind of fasting - loose chains of injustice, untie cords of the yoke (Isa 58:6)
- After Jesus successfully answered the devil's temptations Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor" (Luke 4:18-19)
- Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full". (John 10:10)
- Since Adam was removed from the Garden of Eden and the tree of life and made subject to death, mankind has been subject to mortality with its subsequent infirmities.
- Because of Adam's sin all of creation became bound by the laws of decay and corruption (Rom 8:21)
- Infirmities are a "normal" part of life and were experienced by many New Testament believers.
- In the event of an infirmity the believer is encouraged to pray or present himself to the leadership of the church for prayer. (James 5:13-16)
- Infirmities, as a result of physical decay, can also represent the spirit of death and as such need to be spiritually dealt with in prayer.
- Jesus rebuked the spirit of infirmity (a demon) in the woman bound for eighteen years. (Luke 13:11)
- He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil... (Act 10:38)
- With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. (Acts 8:7)
- God's chosen fast: "your healing will quickly appear... will strengthen your frame..." (Isa 58:8-11)
- Direct connection between sin and resulting physical consequences (John 5:14)
- Some healing will come when sins are confessed to those praying (Jam 5:16)
- Spiritual connection to infirmity described to Corinthian church with regards to observance of the Lord's supper (1 Cor 11:30-32)
- Many among you weak and sick
- Number have fallen asleep
- If we judge ourselves we would not come under judgment
- Being judged by the Lord is Him bringing discipline so that we will not be condemned with the world
- There are times it is proper to remember the past and give God glory for His mercies and graces over the years.
- One of the works of death is to glorify and change the truth of the past.
- A proper memory of the past will remind one of personal sin and failures.
- Since a Christian has asked for release from his past and forgiveness of sins, there is no particular reason to glorify his past.
- The apostle Paul "counted everything a loss" - left past behind (Phil 3:8-9)
- Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this. (Eccl 7:10 ESV)
- Being spiritually fixated in earlier times - the good old days
- Libraries or museums of books and relics of the past
- Death & Hell person will live their life in sorrow, regrets, hopelessness, loneliness, darkness, depression and fear
- The "valley of the shadow of death" (Psalm 23:4) becomes a permanent fixture
- Restless wanderer (Gen 4:12) due to paranoia of hidden persecutors
- Worldly sorrow brings death (2 Cor 7:10)
- "Wounded" persons constant crying or depression over failure of God which is actually bitterness toward God over the evil in the world
- Those who choose to hate their brother remain in death (1 John 3:14)
- Loss of hope brings death
- In all these emotions the spirit of death seeks to "separate us form the love of God that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom 8:39)
- The psychological results of spiritual death due to broken covenant (Deut 28:20-67)
- It is the intention of principalities and powers to shock, dismay, embitter or otherwise catch their victims in the prison of death and hell
- queen terrorizes (Isa 47:12)
- antichrist discourages faith by increasing sin (Matt 24:12)
- sheer exposure to the effects of death and hell can bring most people under the gloom of bondage
- Death is exposed to people in fantasy form in films and books and more recently through video games
- Death is exposed in raw form through war and crime
- Death brings it to living and dead bodies rather than living people with personal worth
- War that refuses to end becomes "war is hell"
- Death is sometimes referred to as sleeping (Psalm 4:8, 7:5, 76:5)
- the space of time between grave and judgment passes quickly
- without physical sensation
- In same sense the spirit of death manifests as a spirit of sleep
- when the hour of death was upon Jesus his disciples fell asleep (Luke 22:45)
- those unprepared for the Lord's return described as sleeping (1 Thes 5:7)
- spirit of sleep sometime called "deep sleep" (Isa 29:10)
- Spirit of Death is conducive to sleep
- many churches mistake reverence with quietness and fill sanctuaries with death rather than life
- the shroud that covers all peoples the sheet that covers all nations (Isa 25:7)
- shroud is the burial clothing for the dead
- shroud serves as the blanket to the sleep of death
- shroud for the living is suffocating and oppressive giving impression of being buried alive
- The physical body sleeps to renew is physical and emotional energy
- During times of sorrow or duress many people use sleep to take care of the problem
- through wrong use of sleep death becomes a familiar spirit and a friend
- the spirit of death beckons people into his arms as he promises rest from labors
- the result is that people often succumb to suicide and euthanasia
- In some cases the pain of disease or sorrow is so great that people long for death
- the righteous long to be with Christ
- the unrighteous seek to end the consequences of sin
Antichrist Characteristics[3]
or click on Titles
- Without love and natural affection (2 Tim 3:3)
- No appeal to compassion will persuade the spirit of antichrist
- Will be a "stern-faced king, a master of intrigue" (Dan 8:23)
- Empowered by Satan therefore capable of "astounding devastation" (Dan 8:24)
- All signs of weakness are hated and punished
- First emotion is pride (Isa 15:13-14, Eze 28:17)
- Considers self to be superior (Dan 8:25)
- Exalts self (2 Thes 2:4)
- Utters proud words (Rev 13:5)
- Proud of
- beauty
- knowledge
- strength
- skill
- Forgets he is a creation and therefore a servant to the Kingdom of God
- Pride comes from the heart (2 Chron 32:26, Isa 10:12)
- Pride is worn about the neck as a necklace (Psa 73:6)
- Second emotion is rebellion
- Refuses genuine delegated authority (1 John 4:6)
- Seeks to be first in spiritual authority (3 John 9-10)
- Refuses prophetic restraints (Prov 29:18) and prophets who bring them (Eze 12:2)
- Manifests as a stiff neck (Exo 32:9, Deut 31:27)
- Stiff neck accompanies spiritual deafness caused by a refusal to listen (Neh 9:29, Jer 17:23)
- Third emotion is stubbornness
- Closely associated with pride (Lev 26:19)
- Closely associated with rebellion (Psa 78:8)
- Can be described as obstinance (Eze 2:4) and is a defiance against change
- Arises from the heart (Psa 81:12)
- Creates a physical and spiritual wall against God's purposes
- Like a "chip on the shoulder"
- Like the deposit on Ezekiel's cooking pot which "frustrated all efforts" toward removing it (Eze 24:12)
- Fourth emotions are anger and hatred
- Anger of God works for righteousness (Psa 2:12, 60:1) but anger of man does not (Jam 1:20)
- All unrighteous anger is subject to judgment (Matt 5:22)
- Used as a mask to prevent others from exposing ones inner hypocrisy
- When the mask fails, as under the ministry of a prophet, then hatred is expressed
- Everyone who does evil hates the light (John 3:20) (John 7:7)
- Hatred works to stir up dissension (Prov 10:12)
- Those who hate their brother are still in darkness (1 John 2:9)
- Fifth emotions are jealousy and envy
- These are closely related to hatred
- Godly jealousy is being jealous (or zealous) for the things that God has given to our care
- like a wife given to a man
- Evil jealousy reaches out beyond our boundaries and it is in rebellion to limits God has set (Psa 16:5-6)
- Jealousy associated with the emotions of
- dissension (Rom 13:13)
- quarreling (1 Cor 3:3)
- outbursts of anger and factions (2 Cor 12:20)
- discord and fits of rage (Gal 5:20)
- May be based on comparisons but can also be very religious (Acts 5:17)
- Envy and greed also look beyond God given boundaries and are rooted in idolatry which is antichrist (Col 3:5)
- Antichrist is a scoffer and a mocker
- Scoffs at prophetic promise of judgment for sin (2 Pet 3:3)
- Mocks at making amends for sin (Prov 14:9)
- mockers do not take correction (Prov 9:7)
- mockers do not take rebuke (Prov 9:8)
- mockers create strife (Prov 22:10)
- mockery finds strength in pride (Prov 21:24) (Luke 22:63)
- mockery expresses self through laughter and joking, as humor is meant to blunt the prophetic probe or blind the eye to sin
- laughing with rebellion strengthens the cause of sin
- The antichrist man is an expert at purposeful confusion
- responsibility and work - "I don't think I can do it well enough"
- give an account of self - "I don't know why. I'm confused."
- these patterns are designed to cover up failure and sin
- uses confusion to deny guilt
- Satan means adversary and antichrist is opposed to any kind of real spiritual progress
- Antichrist can use religion to further his own purposes
- Draw near to God on his terms and He will draw near to us (Jam 4:8)
- antichrist says "If God wants me, he will have to come to me at my convenience."
- one of the most common ways to resist God's work and message is to do nothing at all (Prov 18:9) (Ezek 33:31)
- Antichrist is a warrior and a hunter
- usually directed against God's children (Rev 12:17)
- will oppress the saints (Dan 7:19,25)
- Babylonian example (Jer 16:16)
- hunts down the weak (Psa 10:2)
- hunting in the church is by wolves who scatter and destroy the sheep they can't possess and trying to possess others who were not given to them (Matt 20:25, 2 Cor 1:24, Peter 5:2-3)
- male antichrists fancy themselves as a hunter of female conquests
- A warrior is a strong man who refuses to let plunder be taken from him unless he is bound first
- Antichrist also works through false teachings (2 Pet 2:1-32) (1 John 4:1-3)
- examples: Arianism - Jehovah Witnesses, deity of man - Mormonism, gnosticism - various isms of doctrine
- correct doctrine is not a substitute for righteous living (Rom 2:24) (Mark 12:24) (John 5:39-40)
- Antichrist man may be well acquainted with scripture
- Satan was not adverse to quoting scripture in his temptation of Jesus but his usage was incorrect
- wandering from the truth and meaningless talk (1 Tim 1:6)
- false use of scripture by circumcision party (Acts 15:1)
- don't share in evil work of antichrist workers (2 John 1:10-11)
- antichrist appeals to the mind or the emotions rather than to the spirit (1 John 4:5)
- Antichrist man is given the spirit of delusion to help him believe the lie of antichrist. His lies include:
- promise of freedom (2 Pet 2:19)
- salvation (2 Thes 2:4)
- signs and wonders (2 Thes 2:9)
- peace (Jer 6:14)
- food supply (Rev 13:17)
- the false man makes many promises he can't or won't fulfill (Hosea 10:4)
- antichrist man is a liar (1 John 2:22)
- Antichrist is known as the "man of lawlessness" who works in harmony with the "secret power of lawlessness" already at work (2 Thes 2:3,7)
- Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4)
- Antichrist reveals his power in
- anarchy - every man doing what is right in his own eyes (Prov 12:15, 14:12, 21:2)
- dictatorships - usurps God's place (2 Thes 2:4)
- sinning - and approval of others who sin (Rom 1:32)
- Satan is full of desire and wantonness himself
- fleshly desires within people opens up a place for him to bring temptation (James 1:14)
- desires worship for himself (Luke 4:7)
- desires to be God (Isa 14:14)
- desired Peter (Luke 22:31)
- desires to have his own church (Rev 2:9)
- Antichrist follows the same pattern
- false prophet causes inhabitants of the earth to worship antichrist (Rev 13:12)
- sets himself up as God (2 Thes 2:4)
- infiltrates the ministry of the church (Acts 20:30, Jude 1:12)
- draws disciples after himself (1 John 2:18-19, Rev 13:16)
- Antichrist likes to be number one
- antichrist man seeks to reach beyond the boundaries that God has set for him
- in church this is the push and pull of disciples for position (Luke 22:26)
- Old Testament fat sheep and lean sheep (Eze 34:21)
- not only wants something for himself but wants to spoil it for someone else at the same time (Eze 34:18)
- self-seeking religious man (Rom 2:8) (3 John 1:9)
- within team ministries of the modern church, the inability to know who is first and who is second, has caused the ruin of more than one ministry
- Antichrist and the antichrist man enjoy and desire the benefits derived from being number one. Insatiable desire for:
- money
- power
- honor
- fame
- all denote influence among mankind rather than toward God
- warning by God of these traps (1 Tim 3:1-7)
- Antichrist man will extend this lust towards women as a conquering
- In the church, antichrist desires are performed in the name of Christ
- bigger buildings
- more money
- more healing
- more national recognition
- etc
- Antichrist likes to be strong
- Daniel describes fourth beast as being "terrifying and frightening and very powerful" (Dan 7:7)
- Outward strength only and not a moral strength
- forces his people to serve him (Rev 13:16)
- his people are shaped not by discipline but by fear
- Takes pride in strengths
- horse (Isa 31:1)
- man's legs (Psa 147:10)
- mind (Psa 83:5)
- family (Gen 19:34)
- culture and tradition (Matt 15:3, Gal 4:8-9)
- These types of strength usually cover up inner moral and spiritual weakness as is demonstrated when antichrist men revert to "boys"
- False concepts of strength cause antichrist people to:
- strongly dislike work to be checked by someone else
- strongly dislikes external accountability as true substance of work will be revealed as not being from God
- great hostility to any signs of weakness
- women
- children
- spiritual children
- sickness
- dependency
- submission
- Antichrist desires the world (Luke 4:5-6)
- but in fact was cast out of heaven (Rev 12:9)
- therefore earth is a second best judgment
- Satan therefore seeks to keep people from heaven while avoiding talk of hell by emphasizing the love of the world - this ministry is also imparted to antichrist (Jam 4:4) (1 John 2:15-16) Matt 13:22) (Matt 6:24)
- All demons have supernatural strength and heavenly principalities are even stronger, as one would expect of archangels
- God himself put these angels in their positions of authority to rule over and punish those who do evil
- Satan became "prince" of the world by God's judgment upon him but he still retains a good portion of his original power as the "guardian cherub" (Eze 28:16)
- Therefor when God's angels fight against evil angels, they are careful not to slander the evil angels but rather appeal to God's authority (Jude 1:9, 2 Pet 2:10)
- Satan received his earthly authority from God and he can give it to whom he pleases (Luke 4:6)
- Because Christ refused Satan's temptation, antichrist will receive this earthly authority which will give worship to Satan and strength to the antichrist (Rev 13:4)
- Therefore the antichrist person is strengthened by a principality
- can be bolstered by physical strength
- physical weight is added to increase the appearance of strength
- women who become the "mothers" of their husbands usually put on weight as they "put on the pants of the family"
- men put on weight to become bigger in appearance
- on the inside the antichrist man set themselves on the inside like a wall through which no one else will pass
- appears powerful being endowed with worldly admirable traits - worldly "charismatic"
- false teachers who think that godliness is a means to financial gain (1 Tim 6:5) use gospel as a mask to cover up greed (1 Thes 2:5)
- super-apostles (2 Cor 10:3,7,12)
- false Jesus and gospel (2 Cor 11:4-5)
- mental strength through slyness or cunning (Gen 3:1-2, 2 Cor 11:3) (Psa 64:2-6) (Eph 4:14)
- antichrist man becomes an actor that learns to wear many masks in order to accomplish his agenda
- True character comes by persevering through trials of suffering
- but the antichrist man never submits to this work of the Holy Spirit (Rom 5:3-4)
- Antichrist man's masks are exposed as paralyzing schizophrenia under the duress of fearful situations
- under life and death situations the actor will not know which role to play
- and playing will not bring the necessary help
- Antichrist man lacks true self-control
- rage or anger are usually expressed to counter fearful situations
- unless the fear is so terrorizing as to reduce the antichrist man to a boy and under these conditions men usually
- submit to their wives
- run from their families and society (bums)
- suffer a nervous breakdown
- Pride is antichrist's downfall, in his very attempt to become wise he becomes a fool (2 Thes 2:11) (Rom 1:21-22) (Isa 29:9-10) (Matt 13:13)
Queen of Heaven
Key Scriptures
3 For all the nations have fallen from the wine of her immoral passion, and the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have gotten rich from the power of her sensual behavior. 4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, so you will not take part in her sins and so you will not receive her plagues, 5 because her sins have piled up all the way to heaven and God has remembered her crimes. 6 Repay her the same way she repaid others; pay her back double corresponding to her deeds. In the cup she mixed, mix double the amount for her. 7 As much as she exalted herself and lived in sensual luxury, to this extent give her torment and grief because she said to herself, ‘I rule as queen and am no widow; I will never experience grief!’ 8 For this reason, she will experience her plagues in a single day: disease, mourning, and famine, and she will be burned down with fire, because the Lord God who judges her is powerful!” (Rev 18:3-8 NET)
All nations were deceived by your sorcery (Rev 18:23 ESV)
All the nations were deceived by your magic spells (Rev 18:23 NET)
[magic spells, sorcery, withcraft - root word in Greek is pharmakeia and translates: administering drugs, poisoning, sorcery, magical arts, often found in connection with idolatry and fostered by it, the deceptions and seductions of idolatry]
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Rom 12:1 ESV)
Death & Hell
Key Scriptures
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my [Jesus] word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:24 ESV)
Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my [Jesus] word, he will never see death. (John 8:51 ESV)
5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. (1 Thes 5:5-6 ESV)
When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, exhausted from grief. (Luke 22:45 NET)
For the Lord has poured out on you a strong urge to sleep deeply. He has shut your eyes (the prophets), and covered your heads (the seers). (Isaiah 29:10 NET)
“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Eph 5:11-14 ESV)
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 ESV)
4 The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me;
5 the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.
6 In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.
...
16 He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters.
17 He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.
(Psalm 18:4-6,16-19 ESV)
Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons ... Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he [God] delivered them from their distress (Psalm 107:10,6,13,19,28 ESV)
Antichrist
Key Scriptures
5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ... (2 Cor 10:5 ESV)
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Rom 12:2 ESV)
1 But understand this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, opposed to what is good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, loving pleasure rather than loving God. 5 They will maintain the outward appearance of religion but will have repudiated its power. So avoid people like these. (2 Tim 3:1-5 NET)
23 Toward the end of their rule, when rebellious acts are complete, a rash and deceitful king will arise. 24 His power will be great, but it will not be by his strength alone. He will cause terrible destruction. He will be successful in what he undertakes. He will destroy powerful people and the people of the holy ones. 25 By his treachery he will succeed through deceit. He will have an arrogant attitude, and he will destroy many who are unaware of his schemes. (Daniel 8:23-25 NET)
6 ...“God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.” 7 So (1) [humbly] submit to God. But (2) resist the devil and (3) he will flee from you. (James 4:6-7 NET)
Jesus, the Prince of Peace and King of Kings has His own “Principality” (Rulership) over everything!
Colossians 1:15-16
For by him [Jesus] all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers [principalities] or authorities [powers]—all things were created through him and for him. [Thrones and Dominions did not follow Satan only some, not all, of the Rulers and Authorities followed Satan]
Jesus Christ sits on the Highest Throne with God the Father! And we will be seated with Christ.
Ephesians 2:4-7
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, 5 even though we were dead in offenses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you are saved!— 6 and he raised us up together with him and seated us together with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 to demonstrate in the coming ages the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.Revelation 3:21
I will grant the one who conquers permission to sit with me on my throne, just as I too conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
Jesus is the ultimate Prince over ALL peoples, especially those who belong to God by faith in Jesus and His blood shed for their salvation.
Revelation 5:9
They were singing a new song: “You [Jesus] are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were killed, and at the cost of your own blood you have purchased for God persons from every tribe, language, people, and nation.Revelation 7:9
After these things I looked, and here was an enormous crowd that no one could count, made up of persons from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb [Jesus] dressed in long white robes, and with palm branches in their hands.