In this present age (church age), we do not yet see all things put under the subjection of Christ and His saints (Hebrew 2:8). But in the 'age to come' (Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30)- the Millennial Age - the earth will be free of Satan's influence as the devil will be locked up in the abyss for a thousand years (Rev 20:2-3). By then, Christ will be the Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28) - the seventh millennium of rest God has willed for His creation. However, to enter this Millennial Kingdom, a believer must work for it, as it is the reward of all their labours (see Hebrews 4:9-11).
A time will come when the Messiah Jesus Christ will share His authority with all the resurrected immortal children of God to rule and reign with Him in the Kingdom of God on planet earth. He is the promised ruling Seed to sit on the throne of David as God promised Abraham and David (Luke 1:31-33). Jesus promises all faithful believers who are overcomers that, 'To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne' (Rev 3:21). This promise is affirmed by God the heavenly Father in Revelation 21:7, 'He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son'.
The Apostle Paul in Galatians 1:4 wrote that the Lord will come to deliver us from 'this present evil age'. In the famous Olivet Discourse where Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives, His disciples asked Him what will be the sign of His coming and when will be the end of the age (Matthew 24:3). They wanted to know when the 'present evil age' would end to usher in the Kingdom of God.
Jesus explained that His return will be preceded by Great Tribulation, 'For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be' (Matt 24:21). This is an awesome statement that should not be taken lightly, for when the Lord Jesus Christ said so, it will be so!
Scripture makes it clear that there will be three-and-half years of intense suffering. The first two-and-half caused by Satan and the last one year the wrath of God poured out as His judgment upon all the earth, saved those overcomers who will be spared and counted worthy to 'escape all these things' (Luke 21:36). The only consolation is that those days will pass quickly. Again the words of the Lord ring clearly, 'And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened (Matt 24:22).
God intended the sons of Noah (representing the different tribes, races, languages and cultures of mankind) to have their own family groups and territories as an inheritance (Genesis 10:32). But the master deceiver - Satan - used an evil man named Nimrod to unite the people then and build for themselves a city of Babel (Gen 10:10), a symbol of the infamous term, Babylon. That was man's first rebellion against God's plan of government to rule over them. Instead, Nimrod and his followers wanted to have their own government in defiance against God's will (Gen 11:4).
Ever since, the term Babylon has become symbolic of Satan's influence over human government, culture and religion. This will come full circle during the end times, when Satan will rally several blocs of nations to become world powers (Rev 9:16-18; 17:12-13). Their ultimate aim is to detroy the nation of Israel and subdue the world. But God will not allow the kingdom of Babylon to prevail for long. For Christ will return to destroy His adversaries and set up His Kingdom as the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev 19:11-16) to rule during the Millennial Age. Only then, will there be perfect peace and righteousness on all the earth!
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