Pastor Dmitriy Leo reveals the laws, characteristics, and spheres of influence of three kingdoms that exist in parallel: the Kingdom of God, the kingdom of darkness, and the kingdom of the world. You will learn exactly how each kingdom wages war and what forces it uses. The school was held at Father’s Blessing Church.
1. God Created Man and Gave Him Authority Over the Earth
In the beginning, God created man in His own image and likeness and commanded him to take authority over the earth and rule over all creation.
Gen. 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue* it, and rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and every living thing that moves on the earth.”
* subdue – to conquer, enslave, and bring under control (meaning to conquer and take under one’s authority)
To understand the meaning of this Hebrew word more deeply, consider a couple more passages where the word is used in the same sense.
Num. 32:29 And Moses said to them: “If the sons of Gad and the sons of Reuben cross the Jordan with you, every man armed for battle before the Lord, and the land is subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead as a possession.”
Josh. 18:1 Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there, for the land had been subdued by them.
God commanded man – to take possession of the earth and rule over the animals. However, Satan tempted people, and they fell into sin. Thus, sin and death entered humanity (Rom. 5:12), and God’s likeness and authority over the earth were lost. The earth also became cursed because of sin (Gen. 3:17).
Then Satan approached Cain and tempted him to commit murder. After this, Cain and his descendants became cursed by the ground (Gen. 4:11). The Bible says that the devil was involved in this murder.
1 John 3:12: not as Cain, [who] was of the evil one and murdered his brother.
John 8:44… He (the devil) was a murderer from the beginning and did not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.
2. Authority over the earth was handed over to Satan
According to the Gospel of Luke, authority over the whole earth was handed over to Satan. He did not take it himself; this authority was given to him by Adam and Eve.
Luke 4:5 And the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “I will give You authority over all these [kingdoms] and their glory, for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship me, all will be Yours.”
Under the devil’s deception, people on earth quickly became corrupt, were enslaved to evil, and destroyed themselves. God sent the Flood and destroyed all the people who had sinned, leaving only one righteous man, Noah, and his family. However, very soon people began to sin again and filled the earth with evil. Under the devil’s dominion, people made gods for themselves, worshiped idols, spirits, and the dead, and committed other abominations.
3. God chose a people for Himself and commanded them to take possession of part of the land
God chose a people for Himself so that they would be His people and He would be their God. God brought the people who had suffered under Egyptian slavery into freedom through great miracles and signs. In the wilderness, God gave the people commandments by which they were to live and be different from all the other ungodly nations. After God made a covenant with Israel, He led them into the Promised Land. God commanded the people of Israel to take possession of the Promised Land.
Leviticus 20:24 and I said to you: possess* their land, and I will give you the land as an inheritance, a land flowing with milk and honey. I am the Lord your God, who has separated you from all peoples.
* possess – drive out, expel, dispossess, take possession of.
The fearful spies were afraid of the inhabitants of the Promised Land and spread a bad report throughout Israel (Num. 13:33). As a result, the people of Israel became afraid, disobeyed God, and did not take possession of the land. Because of their disobedience and rebellion, God left the people of Israel to wander in the wilderness for forty years, until all those who had disobeyed Him died.
Then, two leaders, – Joshua and Caleb, led the people of Israel once again to take possession of the Promised Land. They succeeded. However, the people again disobeyed God. Everyone living in that land was to be completely destroyed.
Num. 33:52–53 then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their engraved stones, destroy all their molded images, and demolish all their high places; and you shall take possession of the land and dwell in it, for I have given you the land to possess;
Num. 33:55–56 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those whom you allow to remain shall be as irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell; and then I will do to you what I intended to do to them.
The people of Israel did not obey God and began imitating the customs of the nations that lived there. As a result, the Israelites broke their covenant with God and fell into idolatry, witchcraft, and other sins, for which God had to send punishments upon them. When the people repented, God showed them mercy. Then the people began sinning again, and God punished them again; this continued for hundreds of years.
Through the prophets, God promised to give Israel a King, the Messiah, who would bring peace, and whose Kingdom would have no end.
4. God sent His Son so that authority over the earth would pass to Him
The Son of God came down from Heaven to take authority away from the devil and redeem all people for God from the power of sin and death. At the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry, the devil tempted Him, offering Him authority over the whole earth if Jesus would worship him. The devil reminded Jesus that all authority still belonged to him.
Luke 4:5…I will give You authority over all these [kingdoms] and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish; therefore, if You will worship me, all will be Yours.
Shortly before His crucifixion, Jesus declared that the time had come for judgment on the ruler of this world (the devil), and that he would be cast out.
John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.
After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit testifies to the world about the truth of the judgment: the devil has now been judged.
John 16:8 And He (the Holy Spirit), when He has come, will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; concerning righteousness, because I am going to My Father and you will see Me no more; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
Before ascending to heaven, Jesus told His disciples that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him.
Matt. 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying: given* to Me is all authority in heaven and on earth.
* given – granted, entrusted
Once, the first Adam made a mistake and handed dominion over the earth to the devil, but then the second Adam—Jesus (1 Cor. 15:45)—took this authority away from the devil.
Moreover, Jesus received authority not only over heaven and earth, but also over all living beings in the universe—that is, over everything created by God.
Phil. 2:9–11 Therefore God also highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The devil’s dominion over the earth has ended. Jesus became King of kings and Lord of lords forever, and His Kingdom will have no end.
Luke 1:33 …and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His Kingdom will have no end.
5. Jesus entrusted the Kingdom of God to the Church and gave it authority
Jesus ascended to heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19), and entrusted His Kingdom to His people – the Church (Luke 22:29; Col. 1:13). The Kingdom of God came to earth.
From the moment the Holy Spirit descended to earth, the formation and building of the Lord’s Church began. The Church received authority and power to preach the Gospel and spread the Kingdom of God on earth. The Church is called to be His kings and priests, to reign with Jesus and carry out the will of God.
Matt. 18:18 Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
John 20:23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.
Jesus gave the Church all the authority and power of kings and priests so that the Kingdom of God would spread and expand.
What should the Church do?
1. Pray for the Kingdom of God to continue coming and spreading throughout the earth.
Matthew 6:9 Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name; Your Kingdom come; Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven;
2. Go and proclaim the Good News (Gospel) to the whole world: the devil is condemned, Jesus reigns, and forgiveness of all sins is found in His Blood. People who believe and receive Jesus as their Lord will have eternal life. However, those who do not accept this salvation will go with the devil and his angels into eternal torment.
Mark 16:15–16 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
Matthew 28:19–20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you; and surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Amen.
4. Destroy the works of the devil.
Mark 16:17–18 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes; and if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.
Conclusion. Who rules over this world?
God created man in His own image and likeness and commanded him to rule over the earth and creation. Satan tempted Adam and Eve, and they sinned. As a result, sin and death entered humanity, and people lost the likeness of God and the authority over the earth given to them. Thus, authority passed to Satan.
Then, under the deception and dominion of Satan, people began rapidly to become corrupt, enslaved themselves to evil, and destroy themselves. God was forced to send a flood and destroy everyone who had sinned, leaving only one righteous man, Noah, and his family. However, very soon people began to sin again, and the earth was once more filled with evil.
Then God chose a people to be His people, and to be their God. He led these people to freedom through great miracles and signs, showing that He is the one true God. God gave the people of Israel commandments by which they were to live and distinguish themselves from all the other ungodly nations.
After God made a covenant with Israel, He led them into the Promised Land. God commanded them to take possession of that land. The Israelites were afraid and refused, for which they were punished.
Later, Joshua and Caleb led a new generation of Israelites and took possession of the Promised Land. However, the people again disobeyed God and did not completely destroy those living in the land. As a result, the people of Israel broke their covenant with God and fell into idolatry, witchcraft, and other sins, for which they were punished. The Israelites repented, and God showed them mercy. Then Israel started everything over again, and God punished them again. This continued for hundreds of years.
At the appointed time, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take authority away from the devil and redeem all people from the power of sin and death. Jesus did this and fulfilled the Father's will. Before ascending to heaven, Jesus told His disciples that all authority in heaven and on earth had now been given to Him.
Thus, the first Adam made a mistake and handed rulership over the earth to the devil, but the second Adam – Jesus took this authority back. The devil's dominion over the earth and creation came to an end. Jesus became the King of kings and Lord of lords forever. The Kingdom of God came down to earth.
Then Jesus ascended to heaven, sat down at the Father's right hand, and entrusted His Kingdom to the Church. From the moment the Holy Spirit descended to earth, the formation and building of His Church began. The Church of Jesus Christ received authority and power to proclaim the Gospel and spread the Kingdom of God. The Church was called to be His kings and priests, to reign with Jesus and carry out the will of God on earth.
Jesus gave the Church all the authority and power of kings and priests so that the Kingdom of God would spread and expand.
The Church must:
- Pray for the Kingdom of God to continue coming and spreading throughout the earth.
- Go and tell the whole world the Good News (the Gospel): that the devil is condemned, Jesus reigns, and in His Blood there is forgiveness for all sins.
- It must destroy the works of the devil by carrying out the will of God.
Who, then, rules the world?
Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of all lords, and His Kingdom will never end. His Name is above every name in the universe. His Kingdom came to this earth and has been expanding for more than two thousand years. His people, kings and priests – are His Church, through whom God’s will and purposes are accomplished on earth.
The Church has all authority and power in Jesus’ name. The Church must reign and expand this Kingdom until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He promised:
Matthew 28:20… I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Amen.
End of the first lesson.
Source: Father’s Blessing Church
Author: Dmitriy Leo
