Adam's at Bat, Satan Pitched, Adam's Out, Satan's Up, but how?
Question
In Genesis 3, Adam disobeyed God, dominion over the earth was taken from him and given to Satan. All humanity inherits Adam's sin requiring Jesus (the new Adam) to redeem us. The blueprint for salvation exists in Old Testament law, describing why Jesus is the only one acceptable as the sacrifice for our atonement. I am beginning to see the unified plan God had from the beginning. What I don't understand is why, or by what mechanism Satan gained dominion over the earth when Adam lost it?
Answer
Excellent question. In the beginning we may basically say there were three orders of beings that ruled, or had power to rule the earth: (1) God, eternal, unchangeable, uncreated, the highest of all, and sovereign over all, etc. (2) angels, who though lower than God were made higher than man “in the beginning” (Psa. 8:5; Heb. 2:7, 9), but will be lower than elect mankind after their glorification (1 Cor. 15:35-58; 1 Cor. 6:3), and (3) mankind, the lowest of these three in their un-glorified state, (of course, there is the animal kingdom, which is lower than man, and though many interesting comments may be made it does not really enter the picture for our conversation here ….).
Though God is sovereign and the very King of kings, he chose a vice regent to rule the earth — Adam (Gen. 1:28; Rom. 5:12). However, Adam handed his vice regency of the kingdom to Satan in Genesis 3. Thus, Satan became the “god” of this world (2 Cor. 4:4) because: (1) Adam sinned and thus gave the “keys of the kingdom” of this world to Satan, and (2) Satan was a higher being than man was at the time of his fall and thus depraved man in himself could not regain the kingdom. Some theologians state Satan desired to “be like God” (Isa. 14:1-23; Ezek. 28:11-19) and thus desired ruler-ship over the earth and thus his initial temptation of Eve and Adam. Whatever the reason for Satan’s rebellion, we know it was all within God’s eternal plan (before the foundation of the world) for Christ to die at Calvary (1 Pet. 1:18-21) for the effectual saving benefit of all (John 6:39) his elect (Eph. 1:4-13; Rom. 8:28-29; 9:11-24, etc.), whom he knew would initially fall in Adam.
Moreover, we must remember: (1) that Adam was made in the image of God (Gen. 1:27), and (2) that God’s prime initiative to the first man Adam was to be fruitful and multiply (Gen. 1:28). In other words, Adam was to spread the image of God throughout the earth – even the universe. You may compare this to the Ancient Near East (ANE) concept of building statues in the likeness of kings, or putting a king’s portrait on a coin, etc. to show their rule of their kingdom. Image after image would be spread “to mark” their so-called territory. While Adam was suppose to mark God’s territorial kingdom (i.e. the whole universe), when he sinned his image (and that of his posterity, Rom. 5:12) was marred with evil and now bore the semblance of Satan whose image was now to be spread. Thus, Satan is seen as the “god” of this world as his image was the one being spread “for the most part.” However, if we follow the redemption story, God always had a remnant (as seen in the Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic covenants and in Micah 7:18 and Romans 11:5, etc.). But, in the whole Old Testament we never see a regaining of the Kingdom.
However, the life, death, burial, and resurrection of our Saviour changed things. Satan is presently: (1) defeated, (Col. 2:15, think of him as the Bin Laden of this world (but worse), defeated, but not in captivity [as of 12/29/2006], and still up to some old tricks. He enjoys his 9-11 events but one day he will wish he could dial 911 to put out the pains of his eternal torment, Rev. 20:10), and (2) presently bound from deceiving the nations (Rev. 20:1-6). Jesus the God-man (the second and last man Adam – 1 Cor. 15:45-47) regained and gave the church the keys to the kingdom (denoting ownership; Matt 16:19) which the first Adam gave away through sin. Thus, by the grace of God, since the earthly ministry of Jesus forward the evangelistic effort by God’s people has been spreading the Gospel (Matt. 28:18-20, etc.) throughout the nations (Rev. 5:9; 7:9) and presently we are seeing the fruit of the original divine mandate (to be fruitful and multiply – Gen. 1:28) because God’s image once again is being spread throughout all the kingdoms of the world. When the spreading of God’s image is complete in the universe Christ will return in glory to take his church (the invisible, eternal, or true church) to the new heavens and the new earth.
Answer by: Joseph R. Nally, Theological Editor, on behalf of the staff at IIIM. The opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily the “official position” of Third Millennial Ministries.