The One To Whom It Rightfully Belongs...

Churches often give Satan too much prominence. In fact, they are almost fixated on him.

Satan is not King. Although referred to as the “god of this world” by Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:4b, Satan has never had full legal jurisdiction in the earth. Any “lordship” he has possessed comes from robbery or deception. He has no legal right to anything in God’s creation.

The Psalmist affirmed, “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it…” (Psalm 24:1). Likewise, the writer of Hebrews affirmed that Jesus was “appointed heir of all things” (Hebrews 1:1-2). Thus, one can clearly see that Satan has no legal right to Jesus’ inheritance.

That is not to say that the devil hasn’t caused trouble or done illegal things against humanity. Satan is a renegade who often takes things that he is not entitled to.

What the devil does is, in many ways, similar to what happened in a classic English story.

In the fourteenth century, Europe was in the midst of the Crusades and King Richard the Lionhearted of England ventured into battle. While away, an unjust man named Prince John, seized authority. Through corruption and greedy tactics, the English people were subjugated. Although John did not possess the authority to do these things, no one opposed him. Finally, Robin Hood and his merry men began a resistance movement. In the wonderful ending of the story, King Richard the Lionhearted returns to reestablish justice and peace. Prince John is removed from power and everything is made right!

In many ways, Satan is like Prince John. He is taking power and authority that he is not entitled to. Unfortunately, too many of us are just giving it to him.

I love what the prophet Ezekiel had to say about all of this.

“O profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose time of punishment has reached its climax, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘Take off the turban, remove the crown. It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low. A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! It will not be restored until he comes to whom it rightfully belongs; to him I will give it’’’ (Ezekiel 21:25 – 27).

Satan, it is time to take off your crown. Jesus is the one to whom it rightfully belongs.