Obstacles to the Kingdom (4) - Power to Enemy

Understanding why the Times of the Gentiles are an obstacle to the coming of the Kingdom is important. When Jesus died upon the cross, the devil was totally and fully defeated. He was cast out of heaven (Rev 12:13) and became a trespasser on earth. To gain authority on earth, he has to deceive people into rejecting the gospel and submitting to him.

Despite his defeat on the cross, Satan does have one remaining legal right on earth. Because Jews are under judgment (Matt 23:39), Satan has had the legal right to execute this judgment by working evil to harm them. By deliberately scattered the Jews among the nations, he has expanded this power to work all over the world.

Whenever, Satan wants to work evil in a nation, he incites an attack on the Jews, because this gives him greater authority to do his work. For example, Satan incited both Hitler and Stalin to attack the Jews, which enabled him to do great evil through them.

The judgment of Israel has given Satan a legal right to continue working in the world, despite his defeat. While he has this freedom to act in the world, the advance of the Kingdom of God can be obstructed.

While the Jews are shut out of the kingdom, the devil has authority to continue his activity on earth, because Christians do not have authority to totally bind his power. Therefore, the Kingdom of God cannot come to fulfilment until the times of the Gentiles are complete. Over the last two millennia, the battle for the Kingdom has been very hard. The continued extension of the Times of the Gentiles has allowed the devil extra time to do his work in resisting the Kingdom.