Who rules the Earth right now?

The Issue

Who currently rules the earth: Satan or Christ? I will argue in this article that in fact Satan is master of the earth until Jesus returns at His Second Coming to claim the Davidic Throne and rule from Jerusalem for a millennium (1,000 years).

Context

Consider the following Scriptures:

When Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days, the devil came to Him and said this: “I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish” (Luke 4:6).

First John 5:19 says, “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”

Galatians 1:4 says that Jesus “gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age.”

The Bible clearly teaches that Satan is not bound and has dominion here. The world has been handed over to him, so for the present time he has control over it.

Sovereignty

Christ is sovereign over everything, but delegates local sovereignty to kings and lords and presidents, and yes, even the devil who currently roams the earth.

Those who oppose the idea of Satan being ruler of this world assert that such an arrangement would nullify God’s sovereignty. This is a false dichotomy.

God is absolutely sovereign. Satan only has any degree of control because God allowed him to. He’s like a ferocious dog on a leash. God is the ultimate Master who controls all things for His glory and man’s good.

The notion of Satan being lord of the earth does not in any way impugn God’s sovereign character and power.

It should be noted that Satan’s time as ruler of the earth is limited by God. When Christ returns in glory and with all power and authority at His Second Coming (in the upcoming future), He shall assert Himself as ruler of this world and ascend to the Davidic Throne as prophesied.

Christ is Lord

Since I affirm Lordship Salvation (one must obey Christ’s commands if one is a true believer, and thus Christ is both Savior and Lord of your life) I am dismayed by Christians who have told me I can’t have Christ as Lord if I maintain that Satan rules the earth currently. This is, sadly, another false dichotomy. I fully affirm that Jesus is Lord and the absolute Master of the universe. Satan is only able to operate because he’s on a short. Christ holds that leash. Satan can only act within the constraints of God’s permissive will.

Some Additional Scriptures

“Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” – 2 Corinthians 4:4

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” – 1 Peter 5:8

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” – Ephesians 2:1-3

Conclusion

We’ve demonstrated that Scripture clearly teaches the following:

• Satan was appointed lord of the earth, for a limited time, by God.
• God remains absolutely sovereign.
• Satan is on a leash, and Christ holds that leash.
• Jesus will reclaim authority over the earth at His Second Coming in the future.