3月23日 魔鬼的权势范围
魔鬼的权势范围
但当基督在这世代的末了吩咐落下帷幕时，撒但将在众人面前被揭露，牠的冠冕将被摘除，牠的佩剑将在牠头上被折断。
如果你是属基督的，那么进入你生命中的每一件事，都必须先经过神的许可。那位赐你生命的主，也掌管死亡；那位把天国赐给你作基业的主，也将这个世界连同其中的一切苦难都交给了你，包括这世界的王和牠一切的愤怒与权势。这听起来确实像一个充满爱与智慧的“谜语”；但你若有基督的灵，就能参透其中的奥秘。
撒但最想做的，就是让你相信牠是“万有之主”；然而牠心知肚明，这个头衔单单属于神。撒但只是“这幽暗世界”的掌权者，仅此而已，因此牠只是神权下的一个隶属者。牠国度的疆界是被划定、被圈限的。第一，牠统治的时间局限于“今世”，而非永恒。第二，牠统治的地点局限于“这世界”，而非天上。第三，牠统治的对象是“这幽暗世界的人”，而非光明之子。
首先，撒但的帝国在时间上是有限的。“这世界”不过是夹在浩瀚永恒之间的一个小小时间点。在这个舞台上，撒但扮演着王子的角色；但当基督在这世代的末了吩咐落下帷幕时，撒但将在众人面前被揭露，牠的冠冕将被摘除，牠的佩剑将在牠头上被折断。牠要带着极大的羞辱被赶出舞台，成为地狱里永远的囚徒。那时，牠再不能骚扰圣徒，也不能辖制恶人；相反，牠和所有跟随牠的人，都要立刻落在神公义忿怒的审判之下。牠们长久以来所行的一切卑劣恶事，都将永远终止。
正是为此，基督受命来到世上；而祂的工作，直到“将一切执政的、掌权的、有能的都毁灭了”（林前15:24），才算完成。到那时，也只有到那时，祂才把国交与父神；因为“基督必要作王，等神把一切仇敌都放在祂的脚下”（林前15:25）。问题从来不是基督“会不会”制伏撒但，而是“什么时候”彻底终结牠的权势。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：出34章，约13章，
个人灵修：箴10章，弗3章
MARCH 23, MONDAY
THE DEVIL’S DOMAIN
But when Christ calls for the final curtain at the end of this age, Satan will be exposed before everyone, his crowntaken off and his sword broken over his head.
If you are Christ’s, nothing can come into your life without the permission of God. The One who has given life to yours, has given death also. The One who has given heaven for your inheritance has also given the world with all its afflictions—including the prince of this world in all his wrath and power. This, indeed, is love and wisdom in a riddle. But you who have the Spirit of Christ can unfold it.
Satan would like nothing better than to convince you that he is “lord over all,” even though he knows this title belongs exclusively to God. Satan is a ruler of the “darkness of this world” only and is therefore God’s subordinate. The boundaries of his empire are circumscribed and limited. First, the time this prince rules is “in this world,” not hereafter. Second, the place he rules is “in this world,” not heaven. And third, the subjects whom he rules are “the darkness of this world,” not the children of light.
To begin, then, Satan’s empire is bounded by time. “This world” is that little spot of time bounded on either side by vast eternity. On this stage Satan plays the role of a prince. But when Christ calls for the final curtain at the end of the age, Satan will be exposed before everyone, his crown taken off and his sword broken over his head. He will be driven off the stage in utter disrepute, to become the eternal prisoner of hell. No more will he infest the saints or rule the wicked. Instead, both he and all the members of his cast will lie under the immediate execution of God’s wrath. The long run of their vile acts will be over forever.
To this very end Christ has His commission, and His work will not be finished until “he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power” (1 Corinthians 15:24). Then, and not until then, He will deliver up His kingdom to the Father, “for he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet” (v. 25). The question is not whether Christ will subdue Satan—but when.