The kingdoms vs. the Kingdom
- jacarroll71
- Mar 24, 2015
- 2 min read
Today’s reading: Joshua 11-13; Luke 4:1-32
10 And Joshua turned back at that time and captured Hazor and struck its king with the sword, for Hazor formerly was the head of all those kingdoms. Joshua 11:10
5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.”. Luke 4:5-7
To whom belong the kingdoms of the world?
In Joshua’s day, Hazor was head of several kingdoms. Joshua, with God’s leading and power, conquered Hazor and all the kingdoms of Canaan. The scripture tells us that God hardened the hearts of those kings so that they would fight against Israel and lose (Joshua 11:20). Those kingdoms came under the domination of Israel until the Assyrian captivity in 722 B.C.
Certainly the devil has some power in this world, but no more than God allows him. He tempts certain people with power and authority in exchange for allegiance to his evil causes and purposes.
Which people does he personally approach? We do not have a complete list, but in the Bible we are specifically told, the devil went after Adam and Eve, Job, Peter, and Jesus (Genesis 3:1-7; Job 1-2; Luke 22:31-34; Luke 4:1).
So Hazor had some kingdoms. Later, Israel had those lands. When Satan approached Jesus to tempt him, Satan assumed authority over all the kingdoms of the earth. In the final analysis, these earthly kingdoms rightfully belong to God the Creator and He providentially controls them. But the ultimate kingdom is not an earthly temporal one. Jesus proclaimed the coming of the kingdom of God.
What kingdom do you serve? God’s kingdom is forever. Live for that kingdom and that King, Who hardens the hearts of some kings and turns the hearts of others at His will (Proverbs 21:1). Pray that His kingdom may come in final triumph soon.
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