In the Old Testament the heathen nations were sometimes called the nations or the Gentiles but they were often called by their separate identities such as Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Edom, Ammon, Moab, Syria, Tyre etc. In the new testament there is not nearly as much use of the names of individual nations even of the godless nations but the general term "world" is used. This word world is from the Greek word cosmos that in current English has come to mean the whole universe. Although that was probably one meaning in first century Greek the main meanings in the New Testament are the evil world system including the entertainment, leisure, business, political and military systems of the world, the world in a good sense as mankind and the world in a good sense as the earth the planet or the entire universe. The Greek word cosmos that is translated world at least in the King James Version of the English Bible means "adornment" and "arrangement". This was a very positive concept with the Greeks and even with many people today. In this web page I will focus on the instances where from the immediate context the word world can best be translated "world system" or in some cases "world system" and "mankind" or perhaps with "the earth". There are also two other words "aeon" and "oikoumene" translated as world in the King James Version of the Bible that are not used as often as the word cosmos that mean respectively an eon or age and the whole inhabited earth from we get our English word ecumenical.
The world as the world system with Satan or Lucifer the devil as its god and prince started when Adam and Eve took of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden in disobedience to God's command and at the instigation of the devil through the serpent. Adam did have authority to have dominion over the earth and over all the animals and plants but he forfeited it to Satan represented in the serpent when Adam sinned willfully and took part of the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. From that time the world system has been the combination of the actions, thoughts and values of unsaved or straying believers and Satan and evil spirits. These actions, thoughts and values are focused on pleasing self for people and are usually focusing on earthly, fleshly and temporal or this life activities or values or plans as opposed to what God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the Bible encourage of heavenly, spiritual and eternal activities, values or plans. Most governments and other major institutions of all the countries of the world are inclined to the possessions, activities, values and plans of this world system. The born again Christian is supposed to resist these values and live by Biblical values, activities, words, thoughts and plans instead which are God and Jesus Christ centred and focused on the eternal, spiritual and heavenly rather than self or world or devilish centred. One important trend at this time that is very difficult to ignore is the ongoing process of national or regional systems or institutions or organizations of the world to become increasingly global in nature and influence. As Bible-believing Christians we believe this is a sign of the last days which as that will culminate with a leader or pair of leaders rising up to take control of a one world economic, political, religious and military system. We think these leaders will be the Beast out of the Sea or simply the Beast or the Antichrist that myself and most Bible believing Christians believe will come from the nations and the Beast out of the Land or False Prophet that myself and most Bible believing Christians think will be Jewish. I and other Christians who take the Bible literally including in Bible prophecy think all true or born again Christians will be caught up to heaven before these global dictators are revealed on earth. We believe 7 years of tribulation or unrest and God's judgments will follow in a time characterized by global government especially in the second half of this 7 year tribulation. This will be followed by the world system being taken over from the devil, demons, and ungodly people permanently by God and His Messiah Jesus Christ to rule this world for a thousand years and then a new earth and heavens forever. We think the Tower of Babel in Genesis 10 and 11 was an early attempt at global government that failed because God didn't want to permit it then. The talk of a New World Order and of a New Age will be prominent parts of the last days one world form of the world system especially as revealed in chapters like Revelation 13 in God's Word the Holy Bible.
In the Gospel of Luke version of the parable of the seeds and the soil about sowing the seed of the good news of salvation through God's Son Jesus Christ in people's hearts, Jesus also mentions the mini-parable or word picture of Christian witness as the light of a candle. Jesus said Christians shouldn't cover, the Greek word kaluptos, our Christian witness to the people of the world that is to non-Christians or alternatively in teaching to Christians. Although there are other ways our Christian witness can be covered, hidden or obstructed, one additional and somewhat unnecessary way is the continuing somewhat unneccessary way or extent that world, national and local health authorities and the media are compelling people with measures against the flu-like disease Covid-19 or the Corona Virus. These measures include social distancing where people are supposed to stay at least 2 metres or 6 feet apart and wearing face masks in public buildings or vehicles. These public building include malls, many stores except at restaurants while eating and at churches or other religious centres or in public parts of residential buildings such as high rise apartment or condominium buildings or on public vehicles likes buses, trains or commercial airplanes or ships etc. I personally believe there is some reality to Covid-19 as a flu-like and perhaps somewhat worse than the regular flu disease. However I believe Covid-19 is not as bad as the government authorities led by the United Nations associated World Health Organization (WHO) and down to national to local governments and the media are making it out to be. I also think the public health measures don't need to be as strict as they are and should be better balanced with economic, other public health as well as basic human rights considerations. Anyway, what makes this all very interesting is that the modern Greek word for face mask is kaluptos according to an English Modern Greek - Modern Greek English bilingual dictionary I have called Collins Greek Dictionary Essential Edition published by Harper Collins publisher in 2019 with ISBN number 978-0-00-821491-3 with the entry for face mask under mask on page 344 at least of this edition. So I believe we as born again or bible believing Christians can apply the above verse in Luke 8 as saying we shouldn't excessively allow these regulations by the authorities of the world to cover our mouths in our spoken Christian witness or to be a bushel, vessel or bed to block the light of our Christian witness from shining to people saved and unsaved of the world. This allowing our Christian witness to shine more would be like putting the candle as the source of our Christian witness instead on a candlestick including at this present time when the Covid-19 restrictions are on society at this time that happens to be at the end of the current Church Age or dispensation.
The Church Age will end soon with the rapture or catching up to heaven, of all true Christians or all the true Church or Church Age phase of the Kingdom of God believers. The rapture of the Church is promised to true Christians by God in the New Testament to allow true Christians to be with our Lord Jesus Christ and Father God and escape the 7 year tribulation on earth under Satan's men the Antichrist or Beast out of the sea and the False Prophet or Beast out of the Land ruling the world. At the end of the 7 year tribulation true Christians and passed away or who have died tribulation martyrs, Old Testament believers and holy angels will come from heaven with Jesus and the true Church to judge this world. The people who will be judged on the Earth at the Lord Jesus Christ's Second Coming will be those who are on Earth then who are still not believers in God and His Son Jesus Christ and to set up God's visible Kingdom over all the Earth. The Church Age or Dispensation started almost 2,000 years ago with the coming from heaven of God's Holy Spirit, 50 days after Jesus' resurrection from the dead and 10 days after His ascension to heaven. The coming to Earth of God's Holy Spirit will be to give comfort, wisdom, and empowerment and enablement to live in the unselfish love new nature in Christ for true Christians or restored children of God in this present Church age or dispensation.
Jesus then goes on to say, in relation to this parable or word picture of not hiding the light of our Christian witness but letting it shine forth to people of the world, that there is nothing that will remain hidden (including the message of salvation through God's Son Jesus Christ to be restored children of God for people of all nations). Something else at the end of this age that will then no longer be hidden or covered includes the health wise or social wise justified or not justified public measures for Covid-19 including the face mask policy. Biblical Christians, such as myself and you the reader if you have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Saviour, in some matters like Covid-19 which I think and probably anyone who has trusted in Jesus should at least somewhat also believe is a real disease to some extent but not as much as some of the more alarmist statements of some public health people, government or the media make it out to be. They seem to make out Covid-19 as being as bad or worse than cancer or the black death or bubonic plague or perhaps even than malaria in the tropics. We should balance our Chrisitan liberty and good conscience to be subject to authorities such as government and public health authorities as in Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2:11-20 on one hand and that we should obey God rather than man if there is public laws that are clearly contrary to God on the other such as Peter and John said in Acts 4:18-21, Acts 5:25-28-29-33-42 that they were commanded not to witness of the Lord Jesus Christ and the true God of the Bible. The scripture reference in Gospel of Luke 8 of Jesus' instruction to Christians not to cover (kaluptos) our light under a vessel or bed but let it shine on a candlestick or lampstand and the possible partial reference for Christians at the end of this present Church age not to unduly feel compelled to let the current public health and media policy including sometimes excessive enforced or constrained wearing of face masks (kaluptos) in public places or vehicles is as follows:
No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have. Gospel of Luke 8:16-18
According to the Bible prophecy group Now the End Begins and other sources the extreme left anti-capitalist group Adbusters is organizing a sustained protest in Lafayette Park in Washington, DC near the White House residence of the US President, currently President Donald Trump. This protest is supposed to begin, as of this writing, later this month on September 17, 2020 and is supposed to last continuously until November 3, 2020. The latter date is only a few days before the 2020 United States Presidential or full term elections. In this election in the US more right wing Republican Party led by current US president Donald Trump is running against the Democratic Party led by Joe Biden. The respective vice presidents of the two parties are Mike Pence for the Republicans who is a principled social conservative and possibly an evangelical Christian and Kamela Harris who is probably the first female visible minority person to run for such high office. She is born of a Jamaican (originally African) background father and an Indian or South Asian mother and her husband is Jewish. US President Donald Trump is financially secure from a career in high level real estate in New York City and elsewhere and has been a strong supporter of Israel and other social conservative issues and has contested against the leftist mass media and other liberal institutions such as the abortion provider Planned Parenthood etc. One of his daughters Ivanka is married to another but somewhat less rich or financially accomplished New York City based real estate investor who is Jewish Jared Kushner. US President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have probably led the Republican Party in a more definite social conservation direction under their watch. This is generally a direction I and other bible believing Christians support and is consistent with biblical including New Testament values. Meanwhile the Democratic Party is being moved more definitely in the extreme left wing or extreme social liberal direction including by the so-called squad of 4 very outspoken Democratic Senators or Congresspeople such as Ms. Asia Cortez and Ms. Omar.
In order to put more pressure against the Republicans under Donald Trump to be re-elected in November 2020 Adbusters is organizing this siege of the White House starting September 17 and the mostly socially liberal mass media will likely give them a great deal of free mostly positive media coverage as likely will the mostly social liberal public schools and post secondary colleges in the US and perhaps other nations. Adbusters is based in Canada and seems to be established, according to Wikipedia, a couple decades ago in an effort to counter what they thought was overly accepting media coverage and political acceptance of the lumber or forestry industry perhaps including some forestry companies indesriminate practice of clear cutting forests which totally changes the established ecosystems including the animals living there. (I personally do not support clearcutting but would support lumbering done more responsibly.) Apparently Adbusters also organized the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York City against the overly easy treatment of executives, including on Wall Street in New York City, of large banks or insurance companies like Bank of America, Merryl Lynch, Leeman Brothers or Morgan Stanley banks that, especially with the practice of short selling and derivatives and perhaps encouragement of the overextension of the real estate market led a huge economic downturn in 2007 or 2008. Apparently, according to the Now the End Begins article, September 17th was the date of the beginning of the Occupy Wall Street protests in 2011, and is therefore the date for the choice of the beginning of the White House Siege protests this year in an effort to unseat Donald Trump and his more socially conservative (and more fiscally conservative) Republican Party in favour of a more socially and probably fiscally liberl Democratic Party government. Some of the organizing for these protests that Adbusters is doing is with a related hashtag or account on the major social media organization Twitter.
Some other major extreme liberal and confrontational and sometimes violent organizations to be involved in this White House Siege includes the liberal feminist movement Me Too, the extreme environmentalist organization apparently started in the United Kingdom Extinction Rebellion and the American African American empowerment and sometimes anti-white people and traditions or establishment movements Black Lives Matter and Antifa. There is probably more support for opposition to re-election of US President Donald Trump and his government due to claimed and somewhat valid but somewhat exaggerated or distorted reports of large number of cases and hospitalization and deaths or fatalities attributed to the Covid-19 respiratory disease. I agree Covid-19 is a real disease but I have heard in too many ways that it is much exaggerated with the statistics associated with it such as attributing many cases and deaths to it that are more accurately due to pre-exising conditions or other respiratory diseases or false positives as the main tests are the PCR tests that just look for RNA that can be other viruses, antibodies from previous Covid-19 or other viruses or other smaller fragments of RNA that are not Covid-19 either. There have been many cases and deaths in the United States attributed to Covid-19 and there is substantial dissatisfaction in the approach taken to control it by the Donald Trump Republican federal government. The Me Too movement has become famous for enabling women to voice their allegations or sexual or other harassment against men that are their supervisors in the academic, corporate or political areas through the media. Likely most of the time these allegations have quite a bit of truth but not always with the possiblity there could be some other agenda in some of the cases. The main thing is that the Me Too movement is using the media to accuse these men as guilty until proven innocent without or before the cases are heard from both sides in the courts or university or other more evenhanded than the mass media justice or ethics boards. Extinction Rebellion has become infamous with many for blocking traffic on busy downtown streets in London England or other cities with their sometimes dramatic protests calling for more environmentally friendly government or corporate policies. Black Lives Matters and Antifa have become infamous with some including myself to some degree in organizing sometimes very violent protests in American cities especially those run by more liberal mayors or city councils such as Portland Oregon, Seattle Washington, New York City, Philadelphia Pennsylvania and others. These protests including threatening white people nearby including by some reports that African Americans have the right to confiscate their property and sometimes beating white people found in the area, doing damage to especially white owned businesses or perhaps vehicles etc.
The Black Lives Matter protests are also associated with the Defund the Police movement that advocates reducing police budgets because of sometimes real overly harsh and sometimes descriminatory behaviour of some not all police officers such as in the George Floyd or Jacob Blake cases and transferring some of that money to African American or other ethnic led community policing. Although both these African American men were severely treated by policemen and this could have indicated some anti-black racism by these police officers both of these men George Floyd and Jacob Blake had criminal records and had just committed an offense against the law as passing counterfeit money or stealing a small sum of money from a store or on their way against a former female partner for which there seems to have been a restraining order against him. However in downtown Portland or Seattle when Black Lives Matter and Antifa had control of some of the downtown area and temporarily closed the district police station there were two murders in that area within several days and some other violence Antifa didn't or wouldn't stop and the district police and even the US national guard had to retake the area to ensure more security for white and all people who lived or visited there. I am not denying the national guard has some of its officers who could be anti-black as well but certainly not all of them like Antifa would likely charge. Anyway where I live in Ontario Canada near Toronto I have already seen or heard through the media some more moderate protests and response from governments here to defund the police in favour of African Canadian or other community policing. Also related to Black Lives Matter has been the Cancel Culture movement that calls for bringing down statues or other reminders of socially conservative or some traditional culture that is not Christian but against social liberalism such as slavery and Conferate flags or statues. Unfortunately this Cancel Culture has by now become way too extreme with some led by Antifa etc. in even bringing down crosses, statues of the Lord Jesus Christ or Mary or burning Bibles based on claims that Christianity has been used by white people to suppress black or other visible minority including Native American greater power in society (empowerment). Some of these anti-Christian and sometimes also anti-Semitic at synagogues in the US etc. actions by Cancel Culture, Black Lives Matter or Antifa protesters are encouraged by some of their more radical or extreme leaders like Shaun King.
There has also been the bringing down spontaneously without goverment approval or democratic vote of statues of the first Canadian Prime Minister John A. MacDonald in Montreal and of some other American political leaders in the US seen as acting (and in some cases with some truth) against blacks or First Nations (North American Indian) people. Part of the point here though is that, and as even some more moderate people among the African or First Nations people in Canada and the United States have pointed out, destroying these statues or other monuments removes some of the record of history and prevents current and future generations from learning from the past including sometimes how to avoid making the same mistakes as past leaders. Of as the old saying goes: "They who don't know history are bound to repeat it." Some of the pictures of the riots by Black Lives matters are similiar to the whipped up frenzy of the masses against others that are scapegoats such as Jews and others by the Nazis or intellectuals or religious people by the Communists under Mao in the Cultural Revolution or against capitalists by the Boshevik Communists under Lenin or against people who weren't fundamenalist Muslims or who were supporters of the agreeably somewhat corrupt former leader the Shah by supporters of the Islamic Revolution under Ayatollah Khoemeni in Iran (Persia).
From a Biblical Christian including Bible Prophecy perspective there are a number of interesting things about this proposed White House Siege and ongoing Black Lives Matter and Antifa, Extinction Rebellion as well as the Me Too movements and protests as well as that of Cancel Culture and Defund the Police. They are all related to what the Bible including the New TEstament calls lawlessness or iniquity or of people not respecting government and just taking the law into their own hands to execute justice as how they perceive it should be done rightly or wrongly or what is sometimes called mob justice. From a Bible Prophecy viewpoint these protests probably will lead to change in the established order in the United States and perhaps elsewhere to a mostly democratic and primarily capitalist and yes with some white people in senior positions in society to a more socialist or even communist, liberal and visible minority or multicultural led society that would probably reduce the position of Christians and Jews or Judaeo-Christian or biblical values or laws in society. I would definitely say as a biblical Christian that reducing biblical values and forcing socialist and anti-democratic ways in society by force is not a good or right practice or movement and that there is probably some white people in power who are too severe or descriminatory against black or other minorities and this intolerance by some white people in power should be reduced but by a more peaceful way but that some of the Black Lives Matters and Antifa movement and protesters have reverse desrimation or racism against white people in stating and acting like all white people are intolerant or suppressive of them which isn't true as I for one would fully support in office some African American social conservative politicians like the late Herman Cain or Ben Carson who recently in 2012 and 2016 I think ran for President for the Republicans or Clarence Thomas who became a social conservative US Supreme Court Justice or Lincoln Alexander who became the first African Canadian Cabinet Minister in the Canadian Parliament and later the Governor General or Canada or Lietanent General of Ontario representing the United Kingdom and its monarch. Mr. Alexander also was honoured to have an expressway in my hometown of Hamilton, Ontario still named after him which I am also fine with. This is in contrast to Barack Obama who I and most other social conservatives including some other evangelical Christian don't support because of his very socially liberal policies in support of LGBT more than the traditional family, some more support for so-called Palestinians more than Israel his support of abortion more than pro-life position etc. than that he was the first African American US President. Our social conservative lack of support for visible minority but even more socially liberal and certainly in their case extreme left politicians would be even more the case for the 4 female Demoratic politicians making up the squad led by Alexandra Ocasio Cortez (AOC) and the outspokenly pro-Muslim Ilhan Omar from Somalia for insisting in taking her oath of office on the Quran instead of the Bible, reducing American support for only Jewish nation in the world Israel and many other things. The other two members of the squad are African American woman Ayanna Pressley and very outspoken Muslim woman from I believe the Gaza Strip Rashida Tlaib.
However the bigger danger, from a bible prophecy viewpoint of these cancel culture movements and this White House Siege, Antifa and Defund the police movements etc. is not just their violent or contentious methods or what they are advocating or what they are replacing but where their striving for new liberal globalist order could soon lead. I believe, and certainly Mr. Grider, the main writer for Now the End Begins would agree as would many other bible believing Christians, that these counter-culture movements could soon lead to a one world government under the false Christ, false Messiah or Antichrist who is also called the man of sin and associated with the mystery or increased lawlessness in the last days in 2 Thessalonians 2. We are at a time now that is already in the last days of the Church Age or Age of the HOly Spirit or Age or Dispensation of Grace and immediately after the rapture or catching up to heaven of all true Christians will enter into the 7 year 70th week of Daniel 9, the tribulation or time of God's wrath on earth and on the people left behind on earth. This tribulation period will be ruled on earth by the Satanically inspired Antichrist or Beast out of the Sea, Man of Sin or Little Horn of Daniel 7 and his associate the False Prophet or Beast out of the Land also mentioned in Revelation 13 and 17 and 20. The seven year tribulation and the rule of the people on earth then by the Antichrist and False Prophet and the antichristian New World Order or what the Bible calls the World or World System by the Second Coming in glory by the Lord Jesus Christ the Divine Son of God with the glory of God the Father, the holy angels, the true Church and Old Testament saints and tribulation martyrs raised from the dead to judge this world and set up God's visible government over all His Created Earth. This visible government of God through His Son Jesus Christ and His chosen heavenly people the true Church and especially the believing remnant of His chosen earthly people Israel based in Jerusalem will be first the 1000 year Messianic or Millennial Kingdom on this earth and with this heavens and then over the New Earth, New Jerusalem and New Heavens for eternity as in Revelation 20-22 and other scriptures in the New and Old Testament scriptures of God's word the Holy Bible. Seeing this Siege White House protests could accelerate and be a significant indication that God is allowing or causing events to soon move forward in His prophetic calendar of events on Earth and His relating to humanity as a whole and human beings individually, especially those on earth, I would urge the reader if you haven't already done so to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour. This means that we need to admit to God in prayer in Jesus' name that we are sinners or do some wrong things or have some wrong aspects in our human nature and believe that the Lord Jesus Christ after living a perfect life as God come in the form of a man or human died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the dead to enable us to have God's eternal and spiritual life and become a spiritually and eternally restored not just physical child of God through Jesus. In this way we can not only be assured of a blessed eternal life with God and Jesus and His children or saints of all ages whether they be of the true Church, the believing remnant of Israel or the saved of the nations and the holy angels but also if we have already trusted in Jesus with our hearts in this way according to His word the Holy Bible especially the New Testament as soon as possible will be taken to heaven at the rapture of the Church and avoid experiencing the misery and affliction of people left behind on earth during the also very soon coming tribulation period and will miss out on spending eternal conscious agony in hell and then the lake of fire that we all deserve as humans for our sin, selfishness or rebellion against or apart from God who even in the New Testament is perfectly holy, righteous and true as well as loving, gracious and merciful and He is also faithful to His word and promises and covenants.
Finally it is interesting that this SiegeWhiteHouse protest period is 50 days which in the Bible is associated with the period of time from the Feast of Firstfruits to the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost in Leviticus 23 or Numbers 28-29 originally associated with the time of the Creator, True and Living God giving His law to His chosen earthly people Israel through their leader Moses on Mount Sinai (or Mount Horeb). In the New Testament, at least as importantly for now, 50 days was the period of time between the day of Jesus' resurrection from the dead the third day after He died by being crucified for our sins to the giving of the Holy Spirit to indwell, guide and empower to serve or live for God the first Christians as mentioned in Acts 2. This same Holy Spirit is available to indwell etc. anyone that trusts in God through Jesus to become a true or born again (or of the Holy Spirit) Christian today especially in this current age of dispensation of the Holy Spirit or Church Age that will end very soon with the rapture of the Church to heaven. The other thing I will note which I myself don't know how significant it is either with God's exact timing for the rapture or in the planning of the time to start this White House Siege protests by Adbusters etc. is that their protests are scheduled to start on September 17th which this year is just one day before the start of Rosh HaShanah the Feast of Trumpets and the beginning of the Jewish Fall Feasts and civil Jewish New Year that this year starts on the evening of September 18th and continues until sundown on September 20th. I do not know if the rapture of the Church will happen on Rosh HaShanah this year or on any day this year and neither does anyone else on earth Christian or non-Christian but there are many indications from what is happening on Earth now in many areas that are related to Bible prophecy for the last days associated with the time or conditions on earth at the time of the rapture at the end of the Church Age and just before the time of greatest evil and ungodliness or lawlessness on Earth in the tribulation that the rapture must occur very soon so there is certainly some possibility the rapture could occur this year. It is also getting very late in the lives of the people who were born or alive in 1948 when Israel became a nation again and that Jesus said would not all pass away before all the events of the tribulation and His Second Coming to visibly judge the world and come to rule the world for God the FAther occurred and 1948 was 72 years ago now. This scripture is in Matthew 24:32-35 and Luke 21:29-33.
The devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them which means the glory of the political, business, education, military, religious, entertainment, science and technology, sports or other aspects or the world system of all these kingdoms. Some of these things aren't wrong in themselves but they become more unacceptable to God when they are pursued at the expense of God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Bible or the things of heaven, spiritual godly things or eternal things. The devil then offered Jesus all these kingdoms of the world system and their glory if Jesus would fall down and worship him. Although it might sound presumptuous of the devil to offer these things to Jesus the devil was right in saying he had all these things to offer and this is made even clearer in Luke's account in Luke chapter 4. The devil became in control or heir of all these things when he succeeded in getting Adam the first man with whom God originally entrusted dominion over the earth to obey Satan instead of God when Adam willfully took of the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden. This knowledge of good and evil was later manifest in the different aspects of the world system. However Jesus if he was to be true to His righteous character and especially his earthly mission of demonstrating perfect obedience to the Father's will in life and in death in his first earthly ministry couldn't bow down to a rebel created angel like Satan, the devil or Lucifer. Jesus stated this when he responded to Satan that the scripture says we should only worship the LORD or God the Father although especially after Jesus' death and ressurrection God condoned worship of Jesus who was God who became flesh. The scripture reference in the Gospel of Matthew 4 of Satan offering Jesus the Saviour of the world and Redeemer of Israel all the kingdoms of the world (system) if he would worship Satan and Jesus' refusal saying that we should only worship God is as follows:
Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou (you) wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence (from here), Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him. Gospel of Matthew 4:8-11
The apostle Paul states in verse 17 that God through His Son Jesus Christ didn't primarily send Paul to baptize or to use sophisticated words or arguments, like the Greek philosphers did, but to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ focused on the death on the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. This gospel of Paul also includes Jesus' resurrection the third day after Jesus died on the cross and God's will that those trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour. In doing this peopled become God's restored children from all earthly nations. The cross of Christ also means those that become true Christians should also in this life be willing to take up our cross for Jesus to serve Him and God the Father. This is one of the more difficult parts of Christian living and can sometimes involve God expecting of some Christians to forego otherwise good things in this life to serve God better. Some of these good things include more comfortable jobs or better human relationships such as for a man to have a wife or a woman to have a husband or for either one to have children. Both the preaching of the cross that Jesus bore for us and the cross that Christians are sometimes called of God to bear are thought of as foolishness by especially the unsaved Gentiles or people of the nations and majority of the world system. This is partly because they see these things as signs of weakness rather than strength. The bearing of the cross is actually a source of spritual strength in the sense of enabling Jesus God's only begotton Son or born again believers God's restored children to be used more effectively by God with His working in and through us. This more effective working of God through Jesus or Christians is in contrast to just our own effort which would be less effective to witness to and seek to gain more people on this earth for God. The world system or people of it tend to think we should mostly rely on our own effort or resources to accomplish anything substantial or worthwhile while we are on Earth. To us who are saved we see the cross and preaching of the cross as the power of God as the means that any willing human being can have God's righteousness as a free gift and His new nature in Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit by which believers can be justified in God's sight and be used to serve Him in this world by His power through us. The wisdom of the wise is sometimes any type of philosophy or knowledge by people seeking a way to be glorified other than through God and His Son Jesus Christ and His Gospel and the rest of His word the Holy Bible. This includes any ideas of nature or creation that exclude God as Creator such as macroevolution and cosmic evolution. I personally do believe that God caused expansion of the universe as part of His creation process but that it was done by Him in a rapid period within about ten thousand years of God stretching out the heavens as mentioned in the Old Testament rather than more than 10 billion years. Part of the way God destoys the wisdom of the wise is to have people that are less sophisticated in this world or less self-righteous more readily come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and become part of God's eternal Church, Kingdom and restored family than those who are more sophisticated or self-righteous in the things of this world system or age. One of the ways that God destroys the wisdom of the wise or God making foolish the wisdom of this world is by having some of the distractions of this world such as cell phones or smart phones prevent people from paying attention to those around them who are sometimes Christian evangelists trying to share the gospel of Christ and His death on the cross for all people's including their salvation. Because quite a few times on buses or elevators, including in my own personal experience when trying to share the gospel of Christ and His death on the cross and resurrection for salvation and restoration to God for people of all nations, people are tuned out or distracted from hearing the gospel. Some people on buses or elevators or line ups are tuned out to the gospel or anything else someone next to them might try to say through their being focused on the material on their cell phone or smart phone and their extreme focus on keeping up with usually world system things through their smart phones or to a lesser extent cell phones. This smart phone distraction keeps them from some opportunities to hear and believe the gospel of eternal life through Jesus's death on the cross and resurrection as preached or shared from born again Christians. This verse states that God's wisdom is different than that of the world system dominated by non-Christian people. God's wisdom is more through humility while the world's way is more through pride and force. The people of the world system in their wisdom did not recognize this but the apostle Paul under divine inspiration says that it is preaching rather than military means that God has chosen to save and bring into a relationship with Him through faith in His Son Jesus Christ and His death for our sins on the cross and resurrection from the dead to give us new life. The scripture reference from 1 Corinthians about the wisdom of the world not being the same as the wisdom of God for the way of salvation and the widsom of the world including that available through smart phones sometimes distracting people from hearing the preaching or witnessing of the gospel or cross of Christ is as follows:
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross fo Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 1 Corinthians 1:17-21
This is never popular with people of the world system and not always even with true Christians but is still a basic teaching of God through His Son Jesus Christ. That is that following the Lord Jesus Christ means to take up our cross and deny ourselves of things of the world system that promotes values, materials and experiences neglecting or opposing God, Jesus Christ, Christians and God's Word - the Holy Bible or the flesh fallen human nature or the devil or demons but that we should instead follow Jesus and seeking for the things of God, heaven, godly spiritual things and eternity. Jesus further says that if we seek to save or preserve our lives after our self or self-interest we will lose them (in eternity) but if we lose our lives of self interest we will find them for eternity and also our life centred on God in this life after we are saved and when we are abiding in Christ or led by His Holy Spirit. Jesus further says in an extreme case what would it profit a man (man or woman) if they gained the whole world (system) with all the aspects of its business, entertainment, science, religion or spirituality, philosophy, education, science and technology, military, sports, arts, political or other systems and lose one's own soul. Or alternatively Jesus asks the reader and asks you and I what shall a man (man or woman) give in exchange for his soul to which the obvious answer is that there is nothing sufficient to give for our soul. Jesus talks about the importance and benefit of denying self and not seeking the things of this world (system) to instead follow Him in that the Son of man (Jesus) will come at His second coming at the end of the tribulation before He sets up the Messianic Kingdom with the glory of his Father and the holy angels to reward every one according to their works. However it should be kept in mind that other scriptures including other words of Jesus make clear that the first and foundational step in our works and self denial is trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour and admitting that we are sinners who can't save ourselves and deserve God's judgment but who can have God's salvation through Jesus and His death on the cross and ressurrection as a free gift. The scripture reference from Gospel of Matthew 16 of Jesus' exhortation for His people to deny ourselves and not seek the things of this world system is as follows:
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake will find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Gospel of Matthew 16:24-27
The world system and its component systems such as the business, government, entertainment, media, military, religious systems and the people involved with each hate the Lord Jesus Christ because he testifies of the world system that its works are evil such as encouraging immorality, covetousness, violence, deception, irreverence to God or indifference to God or general selfishness instead of devotion to God and His Son Jesus Christ and the things of eternity, godly spirituality and heaven. Jesus here and other places in the scripture mentions he hates the world because of its works this doesn't even mean that he hates the unsaved or worldly people but that he hates their attachment to this world and the things of time, materiality, self or the flesh or on this world (earth). The world's hatred of Jesus especially the religious aspect of the world was fully manifest when the Jewish religious leaders that wouldn't listen to Jesus and insisted on trying to preserve their influence based on outward morality or ritual rather than a godly heart or in the case of the Saduccees including many of the chief priests due to covetousness and their material wealth, comfort and influence. True believers in the Lord Jesus Christ can also expect to be hated of this world system if we testify of it that its works are evil but this is what God wants as part of our becoming separate from this world and becoming dedicated to him and compelling unsaved people to think of the world system and its shortcomings and the better offer of eternal and abundant life God gives through His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus in speaking to his brethren according to the flesh, his half brothers through Mary not through Joseph, could say to them the world cannot hate them because at that time they didn't believe in him (John 7:5) and so couldn't see the shortcomings of the world system or rebuke people of the world system for these sins or shortcomings. The scripture reference of the Lord Jesus Christ saying the world hated him because he testified of the world that its works were evil in the Gospel of John 7 is as follows:
The world (system) cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. Gospel of John 7:7
When Jesus said you are from beneath and I am from above to the Pharisees or Jewish religious leaders he was saying they were of earth and he (Jesus) was from above or from (the third) heaven. Jesus then went on with this contrast between the Jewish religious leaders and himself to say they were of this world system and that he was not of this world system. In this case Jesus was probably referring to especially the self sufficient or humanistic religious and moral aspects of this world system that characterized the Pharisees and contrasting it with himself and his God sufficient and dependant spirituality and values that were from heaven. Of course there are other aspects of the man sufficient and to some extent godless and Satanically corrupted world system such as its economic, military, entertainment, social and political aspects but these were not what primarily characterized the Pharisees. Jesus then went on to say to the Jewish religious leaders the Pharisees that they would die in their sins unless they believed that he was the genuine Son of God, the Messiah of Israel and the Saviour of the world etc. Jesus said this because these religious leaders as many of the Jews of their time were not looking to Jesus or any other candidate for Messiah to pay the substitutionary penalty for their sins after coming in human form from heaven and offering a God sufficient faith and spirituality. Instead the Pharisees were content to rely on a religion that was humanistic and man sufficient by good works or a perceived good nature that is part of the man sufficient world system and not salvation or redemption by blood of an innocent subsitute and faith in him that in the case of Jesus is through a God sufficient sacrifice and object of faith. The scripture reference from Gospel of John 8 of the Lord Jesus Christ contrasting the Jewish religious leaders being part of the world system especially its religious aspect but Himself not of this world system but from above meaning from the Heavenly Father for his spirituality is as follows:
And he (Jesus) said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. Gospel of John 8:23-24
In this chapter (verse 31) the Lord Jesus Christ predicts or prophesies that the time of his death on the cross was the judgment of this world. The Lord Jesus Christ could say that because His death on the cross was the payment for the sins of all the people of the world that was and is opposed to him and God. From Jesus's death on the cross we have the barrier of our sins which alienates us from the true and living God the heavenly Father and his fellowship at least potentially removed by the death of the sinless Son of God and God (the Son) come in the form of a perfect sinless man. Jesus could therefore pay the penalty under the law of death for sin as our substitute and still satisfy God with a just way to offer us salvation and eternal life. However we have to admit we are sinners and deserve the judgment of this world by ourselves and ask God in Jesus' name for his salvation through His Son Jesus Christ to obtain and realize this salvation, forgiveness and eternal life and freedom from judgment and condemnation. Through Jesus' death the prince of this world the devil was also cast out from being the tyrant over the lives of believers in this world (earth) as we can live in victory and an overcoming life if we abide in Christ and walk in the Holy Spirit instead of living in the old and sinful nature that Satan can control. In this life believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, (true or born again Christians), have a choice to live in bondage to Satan or to live in spiritual freedom in the Lord Jesus Christ but this is definitely a struggle but God can give us strength for victory if we yield ourselves wholeheartedly to him. In the life to come for true Christians our old nature will be cast off and we will continuously effortlessly live in spiritual victory and freedom from the god of this world who will not have our old nature to get a foothold in our lives anymore. The successful death for our sins and rising from the dead of the Lord Jesus Christ assures us that He will ultimately and not too long from now come again to judge this world and take it over and reign here visibly and bind the devil and all the demons in hell for 1000 years and then forever. The scripture reference for the death for our sins of the Lord Jesus Christ as the means of the judgment of this world system and of the prince of this world the devil in the Gospel of John 12 is as follows:
Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to me. Gospel of John 12:30-32
The Lord Jesus Christ says here in Gospel of John 15 that the true Christian shouldn't be surprised if the world system or people of this world system hate them because it hated him before it hated us. This world system or the people of this world system are those who are preoccupied with the things on earth and of time and sense and what they can get out of life for themselves. This is instead of people living for the things of eternity and heaven and Godward spirituality and what we can do first for God and the Lord Jesus Christ, then other people then ourselves. A main reason the world or people of the world hate Jesus and also the true Christian is because He and it should also be the case for believers live by higher more righteous and more selfless standards than the world. The Lord Jesus and we by our lives and to some extent by our words should try to get those of the world (people other than true or born again Christians) to stop living for themselves and admit their sins to God and invite the Lord Jesus Christ to be their personal Lord and Saviour who died for their sins and rose again to give new life. The reason some even true Christians aren't too clearly hated by this world is that they seek to conform or be like this world and the things of this life and not live for God and Jesus and His word the Holy Bible and for heaven that the world isn't offended by them or their lives or words. However Christians shouldn't try to be needlessly offensive in our witness but some people will be offended even if we share the gospel or Christian message with much grace or love. Jesus goes on to say if we were of this world then the people of this world system would love us as being one of them. However Jesus says that true Christians are not of this world but that he has chosen us out of this world to separate us to Himself and God the Father as part of His Church which means a called out people from this world system. Because true Christians have been called out of this world system and no longer seek to live by its principles such as the religions, philosophies, entertainment, business, politics and science of this world then the world hates us. The scripture reference from Gospel of John 15 of the people of this world system hating the true Christian that doesn't live by the values of this world but warns those of the world to turn from its values to God through Jesus but that has been called out of this world to God and Jesus is as follows:
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Gospel of John 15:18-19
After the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was God come in the flesh, God had paid the penalty for the sins of all human beings that would justify us in God's sight if we stop trusting in ourselves for salvation and instead admit we are sinners in the sight of a holy but loving God and all we have to do is trust in God's perfect righteousness in the person of His Son Jesus Christ for salvation including his righteous death on the cross for our sins. This act of the Lord Jesus Christ also brings whoever trusts in Jesus as children of God and no longer under the power of Satan who is the god of this world system that includes all non-Christians and merely professing Christians who haven't trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation instead of still trusing themselves or their good works. After salvation through Jesus the only power Satan the god of this world can have over an individual is what we allow him to have by giving place to sin in our lives after the old or sinful nature. All this fact about the god of this world the devil being judged through Jesus' payment for our sins on the cross is one of the main things the Holy Spirit since he came to earth on Pentecost focuses on in his convicting work. The scripture reference of the convicting work of the Holy Spirit about the reality that the god of this world the devil is judged since the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins is as follows:
(Jesus said) Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter (the Holy Spirit) will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. Gospel of John 16:7-11
The Lord Jesus Christ said he gave his followers God's Word - the Bible including the New Testament and as a result the world system that is the political, business, military and entertainment and false scientific system have hated Christians because we are not of this world system as Jesus was not of this world system. Christians and Jesus are instead of God the Father and of God's heavenly and eternal kingdom through His Son Jesus Christ. God's Kingdom after Jesus' second coming will also rule visibly over this earth and then God will make a new heavens and new earth where his rule will totally be in force for His Son Jesus Christ and His people according to the Bible. The scripture reference from Gospel of John 17 of the Lord Jesus Christ saying that this world system or people of it would hate Christians because we hold to God's word instead of the teachings of men and that we are no longer of this world is as follows:
(Jesus said) I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Gospel of John 17:14
This passage is addressed to true Christians who have been quickened or made alive through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His death for our sins and resurrection from the dead to give us new life. This also resulted in us being freed from the bondage of the old nature that was dead (spiritually) or separated from God through trespasses and sins. The true Christian before we were saved also walked or lived in trespasses and sins which is after the course or ways and trends of the ungodly world system that is opposed or ignores God and His Son Jesus Christ and His Word - the Holy Bible and eternity, heaven and His spiritual things. Some aspects of the world system include the non-Christian or anti-Christian aspects of business, government, entertainment, the military and education including much of the mass media and a good portion of the internet and much of public schools and univerities through things such as the religious aspects of multiculturalism, psychology in teaching about self-esteem above taking responsibility for one's actions and teaching that the answer to our problems is within us instead of in a transendant personal Creator God and His Son Jesus Christ and same sex and other distorted morality as well as microevolution that says that there is evolution across species or kinds that has not been observed as opposed to microevolution that has been observed such as genetic breeding within a sheep or horse of other kind. All the above non-Christian teachings are not only part of the world system and unsaved people or Christians living in the old fleshly nature that are promoting them but are also to some extent instigated by Satan the prince of the power of the air and other demons. This walking in trespasses and sins was also according to the prince of the power of the air or the devil or Satan which works against the unbeliever or even the old nature in the believer on earth in conjuction with the effects of the world system that both attract and cater to the fallen sinful nature of man. The prince of the power of the air (Satan) is the spirit that works in the children of disobedience or unbelievers. This scripture says we as Christians were unbelievers before we were saved through the Lord Jesus Christ and when we were still unbelievers we had our conversation or manner or practices in life in the lusts or desires of the flesh (fallen and godless human nature). We were then fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the mind that were opposed to or put in a higher place than desiring God or His Son Jesus Christ or His Word - the Holy Bible or His Holy Spirit. Our indulging in the temptations of the world system and of the devil fed these desires of the flesh. For this reason before we trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ we were then children of or under (God's) wrath even as others (who have still not trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation). The scripture reference from Ephesians 2 of the world system and its attractions and its relation to the devil and the fallen fleshly nature of man in causing people to sin before or without trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation and getting His new godly nature is as follows:
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among who also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Ephesians 2:1-3
God through the apostle John mentions false teachers that true Christians are supposed to have discernment to resist or counter includes anyone that teaches of this world system and for people to focus on that. The world system includes the government, business, entertainment, military, or other science or social systems that don't put the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father first according to God's word the Holy Bible and that put this life, and that of the senses and self first instead of eternity, spiritual things of God and Jesus according to God's word the Holy Bible. Some groups that promote the world system and are part of the world system are the mass media especially liberal elements of it in North America or some of the non-Christian media in multicultural or new age religious programing, the public schools including their emphasis on evolution including macroevolution or genetic variation beyond kinds, pyschology and situation ethics and religous pluralism or teaching all religions are equally valid and non-Christian religions or philosophies including secular ones that are religions or philosophies but ones focused on man or creation and not on God. The mass media, the public schools and non-Christian teachers promote and are part of the world and speak of the world and the listening public to the media, the students and the followers of non-Christian religions are those that are of the world and hear them. Although God's will is and His is able through His Son Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit to bring anyone of the world to God and His Son Jesus Christ to be part of His Church. Those who are of God are all true Christians who are people who have admitted we are sinners to God through His Son Jesus Christ and received the Lord Jesus as our personal Lord and Saviour who died for our sins to restore us to a spiritual and eternal relationship with God and give us eternal life through Jesus resurrection from the dead. Those who know God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit hear Christian teachers because they have discernment and appreciation of the things of God through the Holy Spirit indwelling true Christians. Those who don't hear Christian teachers are either not true Christians or are not non-Christians for whom God through His Holy Spirit is speaking to them in their heart including what is called one's conscience. This is the difference between the spirit of truth being of God and hearing the things of God from God, His Holy Spirit or biblical Christians or one's own reading of the Bible the Word of God and the spirit of error hearing more or teaching to put the world system that is mostly without God and Jesus first above a biblical Christian view. The scripture reference from 1 John 4 of teachers and listeners of the world system and of God is as follows:
They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. 1 John 4:5-6
In Revelation 11 one of God's holy angels made an exclamation at the last of the trumpet judgments which will probably be near the end of the first half of the 7 year tribulation. Even though this statement by the angel is only near the end of the first half of the tribulation, he in his statement is clearly looking to the end of the tribulation when the Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven with his holy angels and saints of previous ages including all church age saints or born again Christians to set up his kingdom over all the earth and remove the devil who has led the kingdom of this world system since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. The antichrist and the false prophet who will lead the last form of the kingdoms of the world of a global government and global economoy and religion etc. will also be removed by the Lord Jesus Christ at his second coming at the end of the tribulation. At that time the times of the Gentiles in which Israel is under control of non-Jewish national powers as well as the time from the fall of man in which mankind was ruled by mostly ungodly men and some women usually in the form of nations or tribes will end. This times of the Gentiles will then be replaced by God directly ruling through His Son and Annointed One Jesus of Nazareth over all the people and nations of the world for 1000 years on this earth and then for eternity on the new earth and heavens and New Jerusalem. It is somewhat unpopular to unsaved people who have their heart in this world system that is directed by the things of time and sense and self-centredness. However God's people in this age true Christians who have a new nature in Christ Jesus through faith in Jesus' death for our sins and resurrection from the dead to give us new life should live instead for God's Millennial then eternal Kingdom that is focused on heaven, eternity and spiritual things and seeking foremost what pleases God then after this to please our neighbour as ourselves. The scripture reference in Revelation 11 of the angelic announcement of the Lord Jesus Christ to end the kingdoms of the world dominated by Satan and other demons and replace it with God's Kingdom through Jesus Christ starting at the end of the tribulation at Jesus' second coming in Revelation 11 is as follows:
And the seventh angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. Revelation 11:15
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