Isaiah 14:17
17 That made [suwm] the world [tebel] as a wilderness [midbar],
and destroyed [harac] the cities [`iyr] thereof; that opened [pathach] not the house [bayith] of
his prisoners ['aciyr]? KJV-Interlinear
17 Who made the world like a
wilderness And overthrew its cities, Who did not allow his prisoners to go
home?' NASB
The word for
wilderness, means an unpopulated area, a desert, a place where only wild
animals roam. This is a picture of the aftermath of war. The cities are
destroyed, the populations are decimated, and only the untamed wild animals
that are capable of surviving without the assistance of man, are fit for
populating a wilderness type of environment.
World history gives us
trends and examples of a different scenario which exists way and above human
history.
Man can look around and
see the history of man, but there is a greater and overriding reality that far
exceeds anything that has ever occurred in human history. And that greater
reality of course is the angelic conflict.
In human history when
wars and conflicts occur, and the evil side of the conflict seemingly comes out
on top, even if it is temporary, then the atrocities and human suffering begin
and continue seemingly without end.
The defeated population
is either killed or captured. The captives become enslaved and are either sent
off to work camps or sold as slaves. And when evil rules, the captives never
get to go home.
As far as evil is
concerned, the captives are a possession and therefore there is never any
remorse or compassion, and so there is never any interest in making life better
for them. And throughout human history there are many, many examples that
demonstrate this.
In the Old Testament,
from the time of Adam and Eve, to the time of the cross, over four thousand
years of history had occurred.
The Bible repeatedly
tells us that the home of the believer is in heaven, and believers are only
here on earth as representatives or ambassadors from heaven. So, during those
4000 plus years there have been many thousands and millions of people who had
believed in the Savior, and therefore qualified to go to heaven, and yet they
went to a temporary place located in the underworld, called Paradise, instead.
Why?
The Bible describes the
residents of Paradise as captives, and it was not until after the cross, that
Jesus Christ went into Paradise and led the captives out from Paradise and into
heaven.
When Satan led Adam and
Eve into sin, they forfeited their right and ownership of the earth, and handed
it over to Satan, who became the ruler of this world. Satan was the victor. And
as a result all of humanity has become captive to his rule.
Those who have believed
in the promised Savior, had to go to a temporary place called Paradise, pending
the outcome of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. The cross became a
strategic victory for God in the angelic conflict. A strategic victory is
achieving the advantage due to the movement and placement of one’s resources.
At the end of the
tribulation, Jesus Christ will arrest and incarcerate Satan, and that time will
have achieved the tactical victory, or complete control and authority over the
battlefield.
But during the Old
Testament times, Satan was the ruler, and he showed no concern for those who
were incarcerated, preventing them from going home, which was heaven.
When God restored the
earth, it was a garden. The ferocity of animals, and the dangers and poisonous
of animals, did not exist.
When Satan took
control, the garden not only went away, but the very nature of animals was
transformed into what it is today. That original garden setting and the
gentleness of animals will not be restored until after the second advent.
In the garden, Adam and
Eve had, forever, life. But after the garden that forever life, change to a
limited life. And even though they lived into the nine hundreds of years, the
lifespan of humanity dropped significantly over the centuries, as well as the physical
health of humanity was diminished. This health and lifespan also, will not be improved
and tell after the second advent.
In the world there are
many problems, and every one of them regardless of their nature, can be
directly related to the policies and influence of Satan.
No single man or group
or nation or empire, has brought turmoil or hardship onto human history. There
is only one candidate for that honor, and that of course is Satan.
