3月9日 撒但的权势是受限制的
撒但的权势是受限制的
魔鬼作这世界的王，并非出于神的喜悦，乃是出于祂的许可。
撒但宣称自己获得了“民主式的胜利”，这完全是无稽之谈。因为人受造本是神的臣民，既没有能力也没有权柄去罢黜永恒的君王，另立别主。我们可以选择忽视神的主权，却无法从祂身上剥夺主权。虽然罪使我们无力遵行神的律法，但这并不能免除我们必须遵行律法的义务，也无法改变我们仍在神政权管辖之下的事实。
撒但最后还拿出了一份伪造的“神的赠与契据”，宣称这世界归牠所有。这个冒名顶替者竟然胆大包天，把这虚假的名分拿到基督面前，佯称自己拥有这世界的绝对权柄。牠把世上的万国指给主看，说：“这一切权柄、荣华，我都要给你，因为这原是交付我的，我愿意给谁就给谁。”（路4:6）
这里面确有一定的“真实”成分，但这一点点“真实”被夸大扭曲了。在某种意义上，神确实曾将这世界交在撒但手中，但并非任由牠为所欲为。魔鬼作这世界的王，并非出于神的喜悦，乃是出于祂的许可，而神随时都能撤消这份许可。
神现今对撒但权势的让步是暂时的。从我们有限的视角来看，我们不免疑惑：神为何容让这个背叛的受造物在世上握有如此权势？为何容牠在世人和天使面前这样招摇过市，狂傲自大？我们可以思考几个原因。
首先是为要惩罚罪。容让撒但在人身上挥舞鞭子，是神惩罚人悖逆的一种方式：“因为你富有的时候，不欢心乐意地侍奉耶和华你的神，所以你必在饥饿、干渴、赤露、缺乏之中侍奉耶和华所打发来攻击你的仇敌。”（申28:47-48）撒但是神在忿怒中设立的监工。魔鬼是神的奴隶，而罪人则成了魔鬼的奴役。罪把受造物套在撒但的锁链上，如今撒但就毫不留情地驱使他。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：出20章，路23章，
个人灵修：伯38章，林后8章
MARCH 9, MONDAY
SATAN’S CLAIM IS LIMITED
The devil is the prince of the world, not by the preference of God, but by His permission.
Satan’s claim to a democratic victory is flawed, for man was created as God’s subject, and has neither the power nor the authority to oust the eternal King in favor of another. We may choose to ignore God’s sovereignty, but we cannot strip it from Him. Though sin disabled us to keep God’s law, it does not excuse us from our need to keep it, or from the terms of God’s government.
Finally, Satan presents a counterfeit deed of gift from God to claim the earth as his. This imposter is so brazen that he actually presented his worthless claim to Christ Himself, pretending to possess absolute power as the prince of this world. He showed our Lord all the earthly kingdoms and said, “All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it” (Luke 4:6).
There was a truth here—yet more than the truth. In a sense God did deliver this world to Satan, but not to do whatever he pleases. The devil is prince of the world, not by the preference of God, but by His permission. And God can revoke His permission at any time.
God’s present concession to Satan’s claim is temporary. From our limited human perspective, we must wonder why God allows His apostate creature to hold such a principality in the world. Why does He let this rebel parade with such pomp and arrogance before men and angels? There are several reasons we might consider.
First, to punish sin. Letting Satan crack his whip over man is one way God punishes rebellion: “Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart … therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies … in hunger” (Deuteronomy 28:47, 49). Satan is an overseer given in God’s wrath. The devil is God’s slave, and man the devil’s. Sin has chained the creature to Satan, and now he drives him mercilessly.