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17 That
made [suwm] the world [tebel] as a
wilderness [midbar], and destroyed [harac] the cities [`iyr] thereof;
that opened [pathach] not the house [bayith] of his prisoners ['aciyr]? KJV-Interlinear
17 Who made
the world like a wilderness And overthrew its cities, Who did not allow his
prisoners to go home?' NASB
The word for wilderness, means an unpopulated area, a desert, a place where only wild animals roam. This is a picture of the aftermath of war. The cities are destroyed, the populations are decimated, and only the untamed wild animals that are capable of surviving without the assistance of man, are fit for populating a wilderness type of environment.
World history gives us trends and examples of a different scenario which exists way and above human history.
Man can look around and see the history of man, but there is a greater and overriding reality that far exceeds anything that has ever occurred in human history. And that greater reality of course is the angelic conflict.
In human history when wars and conflicts occur, and the evil side of the conflict seemingly comes out on top, even if it is temporary, then the atrocities and human suffering begin and continue seemingly without end.
The defeated population is either killed or captured. The captives become enslaved and are either sent off to work camps or sold as slaves. And when evil rules, the captives never get to go home.
As far as evil is concerned, the captives are a possession and therefore there is never any remorse or compassion, and so there is never any interest in making life better for them. And throughout human history there are many, many examples that demonstrate this.
In the Old Testament, from the time of Adam and Eve, to the time of the cross, over four thousand years of history had occurred.
The Bible repeatedly tells us that the home of the believer is in heaven, and believers are only here on earth as representatives or ambassadors from heaven. So, during those 4000 plus years there have been many thousands and millions of people who had believed in the Savior, and therefore qualified to go to heaven, and yet they went to a temporary place located in the underworld, called Paradise, instead.
Why?
The Bible describes the residents of Paradise as captives, and it was not until after the cross, that Jesus Christ went into Paradise and led the captives out from Paradise and into heaven.
When Satan led Adam and Eve into sin, they forfeited their right and ownership of the earth, and handed it over to Satan, who became the ruler of this world. Satan was the victor. And as a result all of humanity has become captive to his rule.
Those who have believed in the promised Savior, had to go to a temporary place called Paradise, pending the outcome of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. The cross became a strategic victory for God in the angelic conflict. A strategic victory is achieving the advantage due to the movement and placement of one’s resources.
At the end of the tribulation, Jesus Christ will arrest and incarcerate Satan, and that time will have achieved the tactical victory, or complete control and authority over the battlefield.
But during the Old Testament times, Satan was the ruler, and he showed no concern for those who were incarcerated, preventing them from going home, which was heaven.
When God restored the earth, it was a garden. The ferocity of animals, and the dangers and poisonous of animals, did not exist.
When Satan took control, the garden not only went away, but the very nature of animals was transformed into what it is today. That original garden setting and the gentleness of animals will not be restored until after the second advent.
In the garden, Adam and Eve had, forever, life. But after the garden that forever life, change to a limited life. And even though they lived into the nine hundreds of years, the lifespan of humanity dropped significantly over the centuries, as well as the physical health of humanity was diminished. This health and lifespan also, will not be improved and tell after the second advent.
In the world there are many problems, and every one of them regardless of their nature, can be directly related to the policies and influence of Satan.
No single man or group or nation or empire, has brought turmoil or hardship onto human history. There is only one candidate for that honor, and that of course is Satan.
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