No pity, no compassion, no care whatsoever for the welfare or well-being of others. “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” (Isaiah 14:14)
Satan wants to be worshipped, I do not believe that when he said those seven words he meant that he would create worlds, bring life to dust formed from the ground, in fact, I do not believe that he can do any of those things, he is the prince of the power of the air and to a degree, a set amount, he can control what has been created, but he cannot bring something into existence from nothing.
To be worshipped means to be adored, to be sought after for all the daily needs one has, to be exalted above all others. There is no inherent power in being worshipped, when we offer to the Most High our praise and exultations, it adds nothing to Him, we worship Him because He is worthy to be worshipped.
There are those that worship the Almighty because of what He gives them, and there are those who do so for who He is.
Satan seeks the former, and he offers much. “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36) It will take very little in these last days for the unrepentant souls to lift our adversary up to that exalted place, they will be offered much, and the temporary items, the things of this world are what they desire. Worship, and be rewarded, fail to do so and suffer.
This seems logical to those who do not know the Lord, for in the Old Testament, a type of works-based religion was enforced, obey and life will be good, disobey and there was punishment. The Book of Judges attests to this, the days of Isaiah and Jeremiah, the punishment of David’s sin with Bathsheba and the numbering of the people, obey or be punished.
This age of grace has been as nothing in history has ever been, the words of Jesus are the foundation of it, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) We have been given a choice, there are no laws that must be obeyed without question, Christ fulfilled the law, it holds no power over us, and in fact, if you are a Gentile, it never did. Those who have never read the Scriptures have at least a rudimentary knowledge of the law in the Ten Commandments, and believe if they at least attempt to follow them, the favor of the Lord will shine upon them, or at least it will keep His wrath at bay. This is the path the antichrist will follow, that of rewards for obedience, and of punishment for rebellion, he has no concept of grace.
Obedience, exaltation, worship is brought upon by only two means, love or pain, there are no other options. Satan will bring much pain before he begins to offer what those who will be left behind will see as love, his rewards will be based in the items of the world, in recognition for accomplishments, he has no more to give than he ever has, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Pride is the driving force for his desire to be worshipped. “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;” (2 Tim. 3:2-4)
The Almighty through the great Tribulation, will work mighty signs and wonders, and as it was on that day when Elijah called down fire from heaven, many will turn to Him, but not until then.
There is no great revival coming, there is a great falling away, grace, when offered for a long enough period of time can and will breed a callousness towards it, expectation that it is deserved, not offered freely. Mankind has always envisioned that a works-based life is pleasing to the Lord, we have very little concept of this grace that we have found ourselves in for the last 2,000 years.
Satan will be worshipped, he will have the obedience and praise that he desires, and then he will be bound in chains for a thousand years because of his insolence. If those alive in those days do not offer him their praise, they will be severely punished, God does not force virtue upon any man, our praise of Him is freely offered, for He alone is worthy of all praise.
It is sad to think that the only way that some will come to the Lord is by being afraid of Him.
