Parallels of satan and his kingdom in Habakkuk

Scripture says: “Behold, his soul which is lifted up (puffed up),  is not upright in him,…….” [Habakkuk 2:4]

This is the answer of God to the prophet questioning His allowing such destruction to come upon His People. That answer being after God has served his own purposes by the prevailing power of the Chaldeans, has tried the faith and patience of his people, and distinguished between the faithless and the faithful among them. Prophetically, He will also reckon with the proud Chaldeans, He will bring them down, not only that proud Ruler Nebuchadnezzar, but that proud kingdom. It is not soon He tells the Prophet but to write it down and wait, it will surely happen.

Man is a living soul, created very good by God and later undermined as a result of satanic influence. (Genesis chapters 1-3) Satan was created perfect…..until iniquity was found in him. Now we know satan’s demise was for the cause of pride. Can we say his person in comparison to our “soul”; that would be to say the essence of his being; that part of him where all his senses and affections reside being corrupted/iniquity by his own “will”, that is to say that God-given ability to control an intelligent mind and affections aright, that would be into all Truth, and that by the “organ” of conscience.

Satan was the first to reject a God directed conscience, and pioneered the contrary way. Here we discover the first mention of iniquity, the perversion, the elevation of self, first a little, then often, until utter abject defiance. [Isaiah 14 with Ezekiel 28]

Iniquity means his (“person/soul”) was discovered not to be upright (as designed) in him, but was puffed up. Puffed up, like a balloon…..more and more until finally it bursts. The iniquity sense of self-sufficiency is as the air is to the balloon, and the elastic material as God’s grace (Divine influence).

Satan is that which exists when self chooses not to heed and goes until finally the soul is completely corrupted, and Divine influence has no place.

Although unknown how long, Scripture declares satan now exists in an eternally irreconcilable state. Although he will exist forever, he will forever be an example of the created intelligent being, self deceived, believing as it were, his own lies until eternal damnation. [John 8:44, with Isaiah 66:24, and Revelation 22:14,15]

Satan is intelligence void of conscience.

Conscience is a result of love (“This is the way, walk in it”). Grace/God’s gracious Divine influence upon ALL His created Intelligent Beings’ lives results in their having, in one degree or another, been made in His image, and partakers of His appointed good or perfect experience, attributes “instilled” but not necessarily fully established within. This can be seen as certain in their creation from the Scriptural fact of our re-creation… “….the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit…” (Romans 5:5) this on the one hand, and on the other… “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man (and by extension to Angels also having free wills): but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (It is worthy to read also James 1:13-15 and apply the Truth to Angels as well).

Therefore satan having chosen habitually to have no influence of God within his person, is now without conscience and void of God’s Love. (Therefore he, and his kingdom by extension, is impatient, is unkind, envies, boasts, is PUFFED up, behaves unseemly, seeketh his own, is easily provoked, thinketh always evil, rejoices in iniquity, but despises the discovery of truth, puts up with nothing contrary to his purposes, believes only in his-self, his assurances are his own, he will endure nothing from anyone).

Picture yourself as intelligent as you are but without “conscience” …..and  now also without Godly love…….all that would be remaining within you is an acute awareness of your “being” resulting in self adoration, as there could be no self-loathing without conscience. And without His love, there could only be self-veneration with self-worship. This then is the nature of satan and that of the anti-Christ, and that of the False Prophet, and the ever increasing spirit behind the World in self delusion, the fuller understanding then seen in 2^nd Thessalonians 2:6-12….the Scriptural warning being the affinity which has the influence of which excludes the love of the Father. [1John 2:16] (Read 2 Peter 2:9-22)

“Behold his soul which is lifted (puffed) up, is not upright in him, but the just (or righteous) shall live by his faith.” [Habakkuk 2:4] The relation of faith to conscience is direct and inseparable. Romans 10… “faith cometh by hearing and HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD….” Romans 10 is an explanation of righteousness by faith. Paul uses religious and zealous Israel as an example of attempting to be righteous by living in/by the Law of Moses without an effective “conscience”. “For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the Law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.” The thought  and rebuke now to follow; being in the misconception (and impossibility) of anyone being able to be righteous by the Law (Galatians 3:11,24),  as the Law’s intended purpose was to prick and instruct the “conscience” and work effectively internally, not to suppose a righteousness was intended by living in its rote external observance. (For example, an ice prick can be used to break ice or to kill.) The Law given by Moses or Christ’s Words touching the HEART, which is to say properly applied, as to please God, reaches beyond the surface faith of merely “hearing”….where the self-centered soul compromisingly settles short of the Word’s primary objective, that being a further working manifestation of faith. That happens to a Christian mainly as a result of false teachings religious reasonings.

THE WORD cometh…means faith cometh….it brings forth the seed of life initially (Romans 10:8-13) but make note the subject of that justifying faith in verse 9…the absolute fundamental requirement the acknowledgement of God’s raising Jesus from among the dead….but  when it (the Word) asks the soul to die that it might bring forth more life, the soul then unreceptive to such a personal perspective of the Word, passes by hardly noticed, unheeded, ineffective, unfruitful (Mark 4), as religious reasonings have softened the hammer’s blow unto the hesitant or often unwilling heart. IF you can see it, it is much like the Jewish mind set of Phillip, “….show us the Father and it will satisfy us.” The need for something more, always with the focus externally. Any Scriptural “Faith” is always the result of seeing God the Father, but that pleasing faith, which God highly sanctions, comes not in the spectacular or the miraculous per se, but in seeing in Jesus Christ’s life and words, His selfless will in doing the Fathers will and diligently seeking Him doing likewise.

The “Gospel”, as it relates to righteousness by faith, is an OC (Old Covenant) and NC (New Covenant) understanding. It comes by hearing the Word of God. But Paul explains through Isaiah that they all had “heard” the Word, but not all obeyed the gospel. In another place Paul says, “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Let us therefore fear, ….for unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the WORD PREACHED did not profit them, not being mixed/united with faith in them that HEARD IT.” “Faith comes by hearing and HEARING comes by the word of God.” Our Conscience fore-bearing over our carnal soul’s religious reasonings takes the Word from HEARD to HEARING. Death to self will always accompany HEARING faith.

The Words of Christ,“…..no man eat fruit of you henceforth for ever” goes with another Scripture. “The Kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” The present day vital application of faith of the kind that brings forth fruits worthy of the Kingdom has by us a NC Gospel application and fact consistent with the type. It can be more clearly comprehended in Israel’s unbelief as our warning example resulting in a rejection by God of a part in His Son’s heavenly “Kingdom”. Although we have been chosen, and are “saved” out of Egypt, never to return to its bondage and curse, nevertheless faith must be continually exercised in our heart unto a certain level of selflessness or death to self-dependence in order to be pleasing unto God, being found worthy at the First Resurrection and to be insured of the inheritance into the Millennial Rest in the Kingdom of Christ.

Jesus put His faith/trust in the Father. He lived His life dying to self-will, and died not willing to be unwilling. And suffering all things, even death, now then all things are subjected to Him. And through death he might destroy (brought to nought) him that had the power of death, satan. The Holy Spirit climaxing the instruction here on God-pleasing FAITH that He started in Hebrews 10 declares….“Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher or Perfecter of our faith.” The Spirit does not point us to the hall of fame of faith in chapter 11, although one may be greatly encouraged, but He points through the 11^th to the 12^th to Jesus. He says He is the Author (at the front leading) and Perfecter (vindicator/proving to be right) of faith.  He is talking yet of the principle of faith, and declaring: Look at Him, that faith energized by love, is seen clearly and perfectly in Jesus the Son of man, His soul being perfectly upright in Him.

The referenced Text Scripture is first found in Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him, but the just shall live by his faith.”

It is referenced again here: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.  For therein is revealed a righteousness of God by faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith:” [Romans 1: 16, 17]

It is referenced a third time: “For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one which continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.  Now that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, is evident: for, The righteous shall live by faith:” [Galatians 3: 10, 11]

Also: “For ye have need of patience, that, having done the will of God, ye may receive the promise. For yet a very little while’ He that cometh shall come, and shall not tarry But my righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrink back, my soul hath no pleasure in him. But we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition; but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul:” [Hebrews 10: 36-39]

So there we have it…. 2  groups walking in the earth….the self-sufficient masses and the other few having faith in God Almighty. One being filled with the wind of Worldly influence the other under the guidance of the Spirit/spirit of God, a conscience which is Word-enlivened, faith-filled and energized by love. [Galatians 5:6]

Satan’s/Lucifers perceived self-sufficiency was based upon pride in his possessions and his exploits, whereas contrastingly Hebrews declares the wondrous exploits of those who had faith in God’s sufficiency in the face of their insufficiencies revealed in this World’s threatening tests, trials and temptations. The two contrasting ways of living…one is passing away quickly as a vapor and leads unto death.. “And the World passeth away, and the lust thereof”. And the other…. “but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”  

“But the Just shall live by faith..” “Faith unto Faith”….The Just made so by faith, shall then live by faith as well. Increasing Faith touches God, for He is well pleased in their willingness to suffer personal loss in the Earth in order to gain the glory of Jesus Christ in His heavenly Kingdom upon His Return. “the just shall exercise increasing Faith unto the saving of the soul”.  Faith causes us to Overcome and to triumph, triumph over satan, the World and the fallen flesh nature; like unto satan’s nature within us. Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is…..” is an explanation to what commenced in chapter 10 where the Spirit declares to the vacillating Hebrew Believers, in order to keep them from apostasy, the spiritual principle of a victorious life “The just shall live by faith”. Here the Spirit anticipates the question: What is faith? Hebrews 11:1 “Now,” is the little word that links the argument of the letter directly with what the writer said previously, “My righteous one shall live by faith.”  Drawing back dis-pleases God, and He has no pleasure in those that do…. (we will leave that end time subject, for another place)…. “Now” Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the proving of things not seen.” Faith rejects that which is the World’s lie, that which it represents to the reasoning as FACT. Faith is: embracing the Word of God as Truth “…he that cometh to God, communicates (communion) with God, casting not away his confidence/faith…assured that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.. ”… and awaits in quiet assurance for the hope of its fulfillment, exercising patience in hope/anticipation, we thereby enter into the future reality, the proving of things now unseen. The Spirit ties by quoting from Habakkuk, faith to be the Scriptural philosophy of life: “My righteous one shall live by faith.”  He has also defined faith for us, at least in the abstract or skeleton form. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the proving of things not seen.” leaving other Scripture to put meat on those bones.

Abel and Cain knew God. They spoke with Him. They were directed by Him. Both had faith in Him, so we know fear or obedience has to follow faith in Him. Abel’s Faith is seen in worship of God; in that he brought blood and was accepted…

PRESUMPTION IS NOT FAITH

To come with confidence, and without reverence into the presence of God, imagining we can worship Him through our prior knowledge and acceptance of Jesus Christ without any other offering, save maybe a portion of our possessions of our own perishing material things, is to approach Him in vain.  Worship demands the approach based upon sacrifice.  The lost sinner is so accepted through Christ, which is only the beginning. Enoch Walked with God. What does it mean to Walk with God? In what manner does God Walk? God has declared many things about Himself, that he is Love and Merciful and Holy and Just. These are His Attributes, but His Walk now is purposeful; ever since iniquity manifest destructively in Lucifer, His Walk is Restoration and Restitution of all things WHICH GOD HATH SPOKEN BY ALL HIS HOLY PROPHETS since the World began. [Acts 3:21] TO WALK WITH GOD is to WALK IN NC spirit/Spirit… as typed in Enoch. IT IS TO BE IN HARMONY, TO GET IN STEP WITH HIS COMPLETE ATONEMENT SALVATION PLAN AND THEN MAINTAINING HOSTILITY AGAINST A WILL TO SELF-WORSHIP…AND THAT BY FAITH.

Most Christians are intuitively in agreement with the general principle about God’s purpose, or they would not have been regenerated, but nevertheless, contrary to what they say, they are not at peace in harmony with Him within their own lives.  Walking with God means an ever-yielding up offering, in Jesus the Lord, of carnal self. Practically speaking, that is following the Holy Spirit in conscience in doing His Written Will and spiritually, that is a living sacrifice. There are many who praise and exult in the Sermon on the Mount, but they are not living by it. They agree that the Divine direction found there is the true one, but they are not walking with God, because there is still remaining an unyielded controversy between God and themselves.  We may be followers, but we are not walking with Him.  Enoch walked with God for 300 years.  There was no controversy; and he was bound in all his life with the same purpose, the revealed with preaching and living passion, and the power of God accompanying.  He walked with God. Again, to Walk with God is to walk in the regenerated spirit (in enlivened conscience, communion & intuition) in the gift of the power (grace/the Divine influence) of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8)

THE END TIME CHALDEANS …..satan and his forces play out the roles typed in Nebuchadnezzar and his forces in God’s End Time Judgments on His People, that is on both the asleep Christian remaining Church and Jews whose souls are lifted up  and not upright. (Revelation 12:17; 14:12) Along with the wicked people of the World and finally God through His Son brings an Age Ending Judgment on satan and his forces, the Anti-Christ and False Prophet. [Revelation 11:18, 19:20-20:3]

Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, is addressed as well as revealingly satan because of his pride in Isaiah 14, also therein is found the typing of the Anti-Christ, the Wild Beast of Revelation 13:1.God degrades Nebuchadnezzar, typing the Anti-Christ with loss of all things, but provision is made for him to be restored in the fullness of time, at the end of this Age, typed in the 7 yrs of Nebuchadnezzar’s absence then his restoration. In this we see the Anti-Christ, “The five are fallen…” also in the “He was, is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit…” (of which we will speak more of in a moment). This One will be received by Israel who comes in his own name before and at the start of the Tribulation period. After his miraculous recovery, the False Prophet, the 2^nd Wild Beast of Revelation 13, then erects the “golden image” to the First Beast/Anti-Christ to which all people and nations must fall down before and worship, this being in the Holy Place in Jerusalem thereby blaspheming God by exalting himself above Him.

There are two vines in the Earth. There are two abidings, one with Jesus (His Spirit) and one with anti-Christ (or his spirit). Both shall bring forth their fruit. John 15:1-9 and Revelation 14:18-20 reveals their destinies. The Vines are to be hard to distinguish in the end times. The Ladodicean Church/ the members of the great Apostasy being the example who mistakenly thinks itself safely in the branches of the true Vine. Ignoring (letting faith slip by)  the cry of the Spirit to faithfulness and fruitfulness. “Come….” and are therefore rejected of the Lord, and given over to be a synagogue of Satan.

The Antichrist will be a single individual being, as surely as JESUS Christ was; and he will both mock Christ, and be a bitter opponent and blasphemer of the Father and the Son. Paul’s expressions, “the Man of Sin”, “the Son of Perdition”, “he that opposeth himself”, “the Lawless One whom the Lord shall consume with the breath of His mouth”, “he whose coming is after the working of Satan”, all these point to a single individual raised from among the dead as distinctly as do the prophecies of our Lord’s 2 Comings.

There is something here quite alarming in the justness of God that should be noticed …as sure as the Vine of the Lord does not come into its great fruitfulness “except a corn of wheat falleth into the ground, and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” This Scripture of course is a reference to Jesus Christ, His sacrificial death and Resurrection with the out-pouring of Spirit in Power following, representative of the Early Rain bringing forth much fruit, but correspondingly we are speaking of its Truth in application to Antichrist. He also having died will be brought up from among the dead and reconstituted. And can we not say is now present, having “sent” his anti-Spirit in like early flood? (“this is that sprit of anti-christ, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” John 4:3), and (appearing again soon) being raised from among the dead; and will, consequently, in a 3 ½ yr period (duplicating our Lord’s time of ministry who then manifests in fullness the power of the Holy Spirit upon the Earth) begin to bring forth much (bad) fruit, in Latter Day flood, that is not unto eternal Life but unto eternal death [Revelation 17:7-11, with 13:1-10 and 19:19-21 and 20:10]

In the seventeenth chapter of the Apocalypse, the Angel informs John, that the Beast, considered as the Eighth King, “was, and is not, and shall ascend out of the Abyss, and go into Perdition” – that is, into the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, from which there is no egress as there is now from the Abyss.  This Eighth King will be one of the seven heads of the Beast revived.  And since his first earth-life must have had ended before John saw the vision – for the angel says of him that at that time “he was, and is not” – it follows he must be one of the five kings that had already fallen, maybe, as the whole early and enlightened Church once thought and believed, the Great persecutor Nero….who raised up from among the dead and reconstituted with the supernatural power of satan now being manifest kills the two Witnesses.

The Two Witnesses represent in the 3 ½ yrs just before the middle of the Tribulation what the Anti-Christ and the Anti-Spirit represent in the 3 ½ years following, that of the Latter Rain of the Holy Spirit Witness and the latter flood of the Anti-Spirit witness as manifest in the False Prophet , wherein as the Holy Spirit gives life to the Two Witnesses, so the imitator the False Prophet, gives life to a stone statue. Both bringing forth their prospective Harvests. [Revelation 14:14-20 with 20:11-15]

In addition, can we not see another parallel spiritual principle (of justness) being exercised in the last days by satanic forces by comparing of Scripture: “Are they (the Angels of the Lord) not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” In like manner, shall we not see permitted an invasion of supernatural forces at work on men promoting and empowering the satanic End Time designs? As it is Written…  “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.” With 2 Corinthians 11:13.. “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” Now in the very last few yrs of the Tribulation, satan, his nature and those walking with him, will also fully manifest in the Earth as part of God’s judgments on them who have refused to walk with Him experience the consequence of satan’s nature. [Revelation 9:1-11]

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