The start of war between Russia and the Ukraine this past week reminded me of C.I. Scofield’s excellent definition of the Kosmos (the Greek word for “the present world-system”) in his Study Bible:

In the ethically bad sense of the word, …[Kosmos] refers to the “order,” “arrangement,” under which Satan has organized the world of unbelieving mankind upon his cosmic principle of force, greed, selfishness, ambition, and pleasure (Mt. 4:8,9; John 12:31; 14:30; 18:36; Eph. 2:2; 6:12; 1 John 2:15-17). This world-system is imposing and powerful with armies and fleets; is often outwardly religious, scientific, cultured, and elegant; but, seething with national and commercial rivalries and ambitions, is upheld in any real crisis only by armed force, and is dominated by Satanic principles.
— The Scofield Study Bible, 1917 Edition, page 1342, on Revelation 13:8

Such a word should help us to see through the world’s false appearance, to have a clear view of what it actually is. How terrible is the world-situation today! As the verse references above prove, and as history shows, it truly is ruled over by Satan himself. How could we seek for a home here? (cf. Heb. 11:16).

If we are to follow Christ and hope for His return as we live in such a world, we must remind ourselves that this is absolutely not what God intended for mankind. Rather, a new and far, far better world is on the way, and that is where all of God’s people shall dwell eternally.

To that end I need to mention something else that caused me to consider the state of the world this week, namely, a pretty significant mistake I made in my previous note (“The Golden Reed” 6). That is, Revelation 11:1 does not speak of “a golden reed like a rod,” as I said. Rather, there it is only “a reed like a rod.” (So, the golden reed is only mentioned in Revelation 21:15.) I do apologize for the misinformation.

In Revelation the “rod” is mainly for ruling over the rebellious nations. Surely, this ruling with a rod is needed to deal with such an evil situation! Nonetheless, it has not been exercised yet; that will only happen during, and at the end of, the Great Tribulation:

Then He shall speak to them
in His wrath,
And distress them
in His deep displeasure.
— Psalm 2:5

In brief, at the end of this age, the evil world-system of Satan will be completely destroyed by the return of Christ in glory (Dan. 2:44; Rev. 19:11-21; 2 Thess. 2:8; cf. Ps. 2); praise the Lord! Then, during the Millennium, the ruling with a rod will continue as the rebellious element of mankind is subdued under the reign of Christ and His followers (Rev. 20:1-6). After the Millennium is over there will be one final rebellion against God, which will be destroyed by fire coming down from heaven. Then Satan and all his host and all those who followed him in his revolt against God will be cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity (Rev. 20:7-15). At that point, mankind’s rebellion against God will be over forever. Hallelujah!

And then, at last, we shall live in the state of unmixed blessing that God always intended for us. The rod of iron will no longer be needed, for all the wars and strifes and conflicts and sorrows will be over, and the New Jerusalem will come down from heaven to the earth (Rev. 21:2,10):

And the nations shall walk by its light.
— Revelation 21:24

That is, instead of being ruled with a rod, all the nations will be ruled by the divine light that shines forth from the holy city, the New Jerusalem. How different from the world-order of today!

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

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— 26 February 2022 —