2 months ago

We continue examining the ‘satan’ verses in the NT, let’s pick it up in the Book of Acts.
Full study: https://www.ageoflaodicea.com/devil-satan-serpent/

In the last episode (16) we covered the Prince of this world. John 12:31, Jesus announces, “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” This was not a declaration against a supernatural devil, but against the corrupt religious and political system—the Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, and Roman collaborators—who ruled the societal order (kosmos) of His day. These leaders upheld burdensome traditions (Mark 7:8–9), rejected their Messiah (John 19:15), and conspired to murder Him. The “prince” symbolized the power structure of opposition to God’s kingdom, and his casting out began with the crucifixion and was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE (Hebrews 8:13, Matthew 21:43). Jesus’ death stripped this adversarial power of legitimacy and opened the way for a New Covenant rooted in truth, not priestcraft.
This ‘prince of the world’ is not a cosmic rebel named Satan—it is a metaphor for those in power who oppose righteousness, suppress truth, and rule by fear and deception. Ephesians 6:12 describes such adversaries as “rulers of darkness” in high places. Yet, these enemies had no claim on Jesus (John 14:30); He laid down His life by divine command, not by their authority (John 10:18). The judgment of this world exposed their hypocrisy and signaled their downfall. As 2Corinthians 4:4 teaches, it is Yahweh—God of this age—who blinds the minds of the unbelieving, not a devil. This is not cruelty, but divine justice. To reject the light is to be handed over to darkness (2Thessalonians 2:11–12; Isaiah 6:9–10). The real enemy is not a fallen angel—it is rebellion, pride, and the political-religious spirit that blinds the heart from obeying God.
QUICK REFERENCE CHARTS
SERPENT Chart - https://www.ageoflaodicea.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/SERPENT-Chart.pdf
DEVIL Chart - https://www.ageoflaodicea.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/DEVIL-Chart.pdf
SATAN Chart - https://www.ageoflaodicea.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/SATAN-Chart.pdf
Sons of God Chart - https://www.thinkoutsidethebeast.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/SONS-of-GOD-Chart_compressed.pdf